Serbisyong Totoo

Serbisyong Totoo is the key advocacy program of the provincial government for excellence in the government service.

This is the driving mechanism of the call for CHANGE, INNOVATION and EXCELLENCE in the delivery of services to the people,

Serbisyong Totoo Advocacy or “the Movement” is also geared towards encouraging the different local governments, city/ municipalities, the Barangays, the National Government Agencies, in the province of Cotabato to affirm the commitment and deliver better services to the people.

The concept of “GOVERNANCE” in the new and promising administration under Hon. Emmylou “Lala” J. Talino-Mendoza exercises general supervision and control over all programs, projects and activities of the Provincial Government. It is the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented or not implemented. This provides policy direction as a guide in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of provincial programs and projects to ensure efficiency, economy and effectiveness in the delivery of services.

Since governance is the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented, an analysis of governance focuses on the formal and informal actors involved in decision-making and implementing the decisions made and the formal and informal structures that have been set in place to arrive at and implement the decision.

SOCIAL & CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT: access to Health, Education, Sanitation, access to water, gender and development, population management, Cultural Promotions and Heritage ,etc.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: creation and organization of Cooperatives, Income Generating Livelihood Activities, Micro Enterprises and Credit Management.

ENVIRONMENT & AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT: Protection, Preservation and rehabilitation of the Environment and the Ecosystem, Agricultural and Barangay Development Programs.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Roads, Bridges, public utilities like power, water, telecommunications facilities and information technology.

DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION: Strengthening and enhancement of units and structures in the local government unit and build linkages with various agencies and sectors of the society.

Government is one of the actors in governance. Other actors involved in governance vary depending on the level of government that is under discussion. In rural areas, for example, other actors may include influential land lords, associations of peasant farmers, cooperatives, NGOs, research institutes, religious leaders, finance institutions political parties, the military etc.

The situation in urban areas is much more complex. Figure 1 provides the interconnections between actors involved in urban governance. At the national level, in addition to the above actors, media, lobbyists, international donors, multi-national corporations, etc. may play a role in decision-making or in influencing the decision-making process.

All actors other than government and the military are grouped together as part of the “civil society.” In some countries in addition to the civil society, organized crime syndicates also influence decision-making, particularly in urban areas and at the national level.

Similarly formal government structures are one means by which decisions are arrived at and implemented. At the national level, informal decision-making structures, such as “kitchen cabinets” or informal advisors may exist. In urban areas, organized crime syndicates such as the “land Mafia” may influence decision-making. In some rural areas locally powerful families may make or influence decision-making. Such, informal decision-making is often the result of corrupt practices or leads to corrupt practices.