Data is considered one of the 21st century’s most valuable resources that can unleash powerful forces for the common good. But “open data” alone does not necessarily lead to the improvement of efficiency and accountability in government services and an increase in public participation in governance. Any effort to unleash data as a force for good will require the participation of an ecosystem, which includes infomediaries, such as journalists, scholars, and community organizers.
“Data for Empowerment: Organizing Principles for an Inclusive Public Data Ecosystem in the Philippines,” outlines key challenges as well as opportunities for access to quality and secure data. Taking a view of empowerment as political participation, the report investigates bright spots in the country’s quest to maximize the power of data for social and economic progress, specifying case studies in the fields of public transport, customs, national and local taxation, public procurement, education, civil service, and freedom of information.
Sourced from the viewpoints of dozens of experts and practitioners from the private, public and civic sectors this report proposes the creation of a Data for Empowerment Alliance, which promises to be instrumental in improving public participation in governance, as well as efficiency and accountability in government services. It suggests:
A four-point technical agenda to enable such access, centering on purposefully gathering data, systematically harmonizing data, investing in skilling, and enhancing IT infrastructure
Three principles that undergird data access efforts to unleash widespread empowerment, namely: integration, user-centricity, and adaptability.
And that the work of data for empowerment is not merely technical, but must foster trust and be rooted in community organizing.
Indeed, conditions are ripe for a new data-driven chapter in the Philippines, underwritten by cross-sector collaboration.
Key highlights:
Barriers and challenges to data access and development
Case studies of data-friendly culture in government
Organizing principles for data for empowerment
This research is only the first step in galvanizing collective action to improve data access for empowerment. WeSolve would like to invite more citizens to critique, refine, and continuously shape the organizing principles and lessons identified. Please contact kiabante@wesolve.ph if interested in collaborating.