About INCITEGov


The International Center for Innovation, Transformation and Excellence in Governance (INCITEGov) was founded in 2006 by a group of former senior officials in government. They collectively resigned from their posts in the wake of alleged massive electoral fraud implicating the highest official of the country. INCITEGov served as their venue to continue working for reforms as civil society participants, in the process developing a framework that holds at its very core the linkage between democratic politics and good governance to bring about a better life for all. This highlighted the imperative to understand and uphold the nexus among Politics-Governance-Development Outcomes (P-G-D, in short) as the key to arresting and overcoming the recurring cycles of democratic crisis and development deficits in the country.

With support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), INCITEGov has built its work of deepening and broadening the knowledge and practice of P-G-D with practitioners in both government and civil society, using specific reform areas as starting points. Since its senior group of leaders and members come from a diverse fields and sectors, INCITEGov has had the unique ability to convene broad-based reform constituencies, often serving as their institutional hub and base.

Over the past fifteen years, INCITEGov facilitated the constructive engagement of civil society groups with the government. It enabled transparency and accountability mechanisms to work for claim-making initiatives of marginalized groups and the basic sectors. These processes have empowered reform constituents in both civil society and government to build upon the gains of democracy and to propel the steady growth of organized groups and movements engaging government in specific reform initiatives. INCITEGov continues to monitor closely several key areas of concern: public fiscal management, the security sector, social protection, women and human rights, the peace process, along with other issues and processes affecting Philippine democracy. Currently, INCITEGov is located at the fulcrum of a broad-based democratic force that has been working to push back against the steady erosion of democracy and citizen’s rights and freedoms. It is deeply involved in addressing the urgent political necessity of mobilizing broad sectors of society in concrete, collective actions for the defense and protection of democracy.

We envision a vibrant democracy and believe in working in partnership with democratic networks and forces in order to have democratic politics and transparent, accountable and inclusive governance that delivers responsive and equitable development outcomes. This is our theory of change, a means and an end, a value and an outcome that we seek to achieve.

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Vision and Mission


Vision

INCITEGov, Inc. envisions a vibrant democracy where citizens are empowered to collectively pursue and participate in accountable and transparent governance in order to achieve an equitable, prosperous, peaceful, diverse, just, and sustainable society.

Mission

We work in partnership with democratic networks and forces to deepen democracy in the country, imbued with the conviction that meaningful development can only be achieved when all sectors, particularly the vulnerable and marginalized, collectively, freely and responsibly participate in democratic politics and transparent, accountable, and inclusive governance that delivers responsive and equitable development outcomes.

Strategic Directions


INCITEGOV GOAL for 2022-2028

We contribute to creating conditions for a vibrant democracy by growing a deepened political consciousness and political education, and an empowered citizenry manifested in support for democratic candidates at all levels.

OBJECTIVES and ACTIVITIES for 2022-2025

A. Strengthen and consolidate the collaboration among and between local, national and international organizations, strategic sectors and networks.

      1) Lead in convening and supporting collaboration efforts among democratic organizations and networks like ADN, ADRN, IRI, and other international organizations in the country. Explore the relevance of organizing a Philippine democracy network with groups coming from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

      2) Provide current and new partner organizations with technical assistance, assisting them also to gain access to funding that sustains their democracy efforts while contributing to INCITEGov’s VMGO.

      3) Strengthen and expand links with current and future sectoral constituencies.

B. Increase civil society appreciation, participation and support for electoral efforts that ensure democracy and good governance at the local and national levels.

      1) Proactively roll-out political and citizenship education especially among NGO/CSO networks, basic sectors and the youth. Explore creative forms that include youth camps, governance conversations, young leader’s fora and democracy champions volunteer programs.

      2) Seek, select and facilitate engagement with reform-oriented national and local chief executives, legislators and government officials to support their development priorities, processes and campaigns. Work with institutions seeking to support good local governance.

      3) Link civil society and democracy networks with democratic political organizations and parties. Provide support for political projects that aim to improve democratic electoral practices and processes.

C. Deepen the understanding and practice of democracy and power, especially among the youth, grassroots communities and organized sectors that connect the practice of politics with good governance and development outcomes.

      1) In collaboration with research institutions, promote research on grassroots understanding of democracy in their everyday lives (what is right, fair), and the varying perspectives among sectors and generations. The feedback will be used to update our Politics-Governance-Development (P-G-D) document with sectoral variations and democracy campaigns.

      2) Highlight sector-specific campaigns on accountable governance and strengthen sectoral capacity for participatory practices and processes that lead to better development outcomes (e.g. Bottom Up Budgeting (BUB), Local Development Councils (LDCs), Barangay/Sangguniang Kabataan (SK Youth) elections.

      3) Work with youth/student organizations, schools and other educational institutions, strategic NGO/People’s Organizations (POs) sectoral alliances, grassroot communities and the diaspora to train and implement political and citizenship education, organizing and mobilization.

D. Build social media capacities to work against mis/disinformation and towards the articulation of grassroots-based narratives that capture people’s imagination and support.

      1) Craft a digital, innovative IEC behavior-change-communication 3-year social media campaign plan with sectoral groups/communities and relatable content on democracy and citizenship, then work with sectors for implementation.

      2) Engage with social media communities, truth-teller organizations and individual influencers) to reach the unorganized and fight mis/disinformation and historical distortion.

E. Build INCITEGov membership and capacities to achieve its VMGO.

      1) Craft and execute a corporate communications (branding and marketing) plan for INCITEGov to attract support and communicate the organization’s successful execution of its VMGO.

      2) Seek out former elected or appointed government officials who share our vision, prioritizing cross-over leaders from civil society and the business sector as well as younger candidates . Invite them to engage with or join INCITEGov.





Our Team


Marilou M. Ibañez

Executive Director


Verlie Q. Retulin

Senior Program Officer,

Communications & Advocacy


Johanna D. De Los Reyes

Senior Program Officer for Human Resources & Governance


Celyna Joy Co

Project Assistant


Aily DJ Carreon

Finance Manager


January N. Aguirre

Administrative Manager and Finance Officer /

Website Developer and Administrator


Michael Angelo L. Pascual

Administrative Officer and Finance Assistant


CONSULTANTS/PROJECT STAFF


Shebana C. Alqaseer

Program Manager, Advocacy & Partnerships


Sheryl Datinguinoo

Program Manager, Capacity Building of Partners




Donor Partners


Networks & Partners