Not all governance breakthroughs come with grand speeches or long resolutions. Sometimes, they arrive quietly—through a Zoom link, a shared agenda, and a room full of people who agree on one thing: governance works better when more voices are allowed in.

This was the spirit behind Solutions Ecosystems Activator (SEA), Inc.’s participation in the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Regional Technical Team (RTT) Orientation convened by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region VI.

Representing SEA, Inc. were Municipal Coordinator Avha Hilario and Executive Director Ms. Mary Ann Fanega, who joined DILG Regional Directors, civil society organizations, and governance advocates from across the country. It was not just an orientation—it was a reminder that open governance is no longer a concept on paper, but a practice being shaped in real time.

The session walked participants through the OGP framework—its goals, strategies, coordination protocols, and the technical responsibilities of RTT members. On the surface, it sounded procedural. In reality, it was a blueprint for collaboration.

As one participant shared during the discussion, “Open governance only works when we stop treating participation as optional.” The room—virtual as it was—felt that truth.

What made the orientation stand out was the open forum. Questions were asked without hesitation, insights were exchanged freely, and commitments were stated plainly. Government and civil society spoke not as counterparts, but as partners. As Ms. Fanega aptly noted, “Transparency is sustained not by intention alone, but by systems and shared accountability.”

SEA, Inc.’s participation strengthened its partnership with DILG Region VI and reaffirmed its commitment to the Open Government Partnership—to help ensure that transparency is practiced, accountability is shared, and citizen participation is not symbolic but sustained.

In a time when trust in institutions is often tested, gatherings like this matter. They remind us that governance does not have to be distant, defensive, or closed. Sometimes, all it takes is an open door—and people willing to walk through it together.