Quezon city: The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday said it has conducted an Infrastructure Governance Blueprint Summit that offers a platform to connect national priorities with local action, and showcase emerging approaches to strengthen the way infrastructure is planned, delivered, and sustained at the local level.

According to Philippines News Agency, DILG Undersecretary for Operations Omar Alexander Romero emphasized that effective governance requires collaboration across sectors, not just within government. 'The Infrastructure Governance Blueprints set the new foundation for the standards in local governance that are participatory, innovative, and people-centered. It is through these partnerships that we create better systems, better lives for our people,' Romero said during his speech at the summit that was organized by the DILG Office of Project Development Services (OPDS) in Quezon City.

The featured blueprints included the Third-Party Monitoring for local infrastructure projects, Local Roads and Bridges Inventory, Empowering Local Engineering Expertise with Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Accreditation, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, Resource Compass, Subaybayani Awards, Infrastructure Audit, among others.

DILG Office Project Development Services Director Alfonso Maralli Jr. underscored the importance of these blueprints in helping the government understand infrastructure gaps in terms of potable water supply, road networks, and disaster risk reduction infrastructures to ensure that no community is left behind.

Organizations like the World Bank, United Nations Children's Fund, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, and other national government agencies like the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, Office of Civil Defense, and other development partners backed the initiative.

Meanwhile, DILG regional offices affirmed their commitment to ensure that infrastructure governance blueprints become 'the foundation of sustainable development and human dignity.' Participants also inked their commitment to the United by One Blueprint pledge for a Philippines where communities have reliable roads, water systems, public facilities and public spaces for the people.