The Forum on Adaptive Innovations at the Local Level

HAPPENING NOW: The Forum on Adaptive Innovations at the Local Level feature the unique practices of Iloilo City, Pasig City, and the Province of Zamboanga del Norte in responding to the COVID-19 crisis.

The Forum is organized by Galing Pook, COVID-19 Action Network Philippines, League of Cities of the Philippines, UNICEF, and ING.

In slowing transitioning to a new normal, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas showcased the remarkable strategies implemented by the LGU in mitigating the impacts of the pandemic.

Such efforts include community kitchens, relief operations, the "Ilonggo Pandesal," provision of dormitories for frontliners, and early allocation and manufacture of PPEs by the Iloilo community.

Most of these efforts were made possible through a collaborative partnership with the private sector, most especially the business community and the academe.

At the online info sharing called "Forum on Adaptive Innovations at the Local Level," Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto presented the health and socioeconomic efforts of his LGU to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.

For health, Mayor Sotto said that partnerships with private laboratories in his city greatly helped reduce delays and backlogs for PUIs, probable and suspect cases, and suspected contacts.

The city is also employing ECLIA antibody testing which is more reliable compared to rapid antibody testing.

Meanwhile, to address the pandemic's socioeconomic impacts, the mayor focused on providing financial assistance for marginalized sectors; creating a supplemental SAP for non-beneficiaries of the national government's SAP program; and establishing a small loans program for small and micro business owners.

Mayor Sotto also shared his three main observations over the course of responding to the pandemic:

1. The importance of communication. To bring the people on board the fight against the pandemic, LGUs need to communicate not only what they have accomplished, but also the challenges that they encounter as well as the steps undertaken to mitigate these problems.

2. The importance of data and information. Local governments that respond faster have good information and data in their hands. This enables a shift towards data-driven policies and evidenced-based response.

3. The pandemic has created an opportunity to impart to the people a higher level of financial literacy which was made possible due to cashless transactions.

At the end of his presentation, Mayor Sotto shared that local chief executives will not be judged by the COVID-19 crisis itself, but how they responded to the crisis.