Building stronger communities begins by giving people a meaningful voice in shaping the decisions that affect their lives.

Reaffirming its commitment to inclusive development, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) joined the Participatory Governance Summit 2026, organized by the Cebu Provincial Government in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Cebu. Held on July 14 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino, the summit gathered nearly 2,000 representatives from civil society organizations, people’s organizations, non-government organizations, business groups, local government units, and national government agencies.

The summit served as a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge sharing on how communities, government, and the private sector can work together to strengthen participatory governance and create more responsive local institutions.

As a partner organization, RAFI supported the implementation of the summit through event coordination and participant engagement, contributing to a collaborative environment where stakeholders could exchange experiences, share good practices, and explore ways to strengthen citizen participation in local development.

The summit also featured service booths from various national government agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Department of Trade and Industry, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Securities and Exchange Commission, Philippine Statistics Authority, Social Security System, and other partner institutions. The services provided reinforced the importance of bringing government closer to communities while strengthening partnerships that support responsive and accessible public service.

For RAFI, initiatives like the Participatory Governance Summit reflect the belief that lasting progress is built through collaboration. By creating spaces where government, civil society, and communities can listen, learn, and work together, these platforms help strengthen trust, encourage shared responsibility, and enable solutions that respond to local needs.

As RAFI continues its journey of empowering communities, it remains committed to supporting partnerships that foster good governance, strengthen citizen participation, and create opportunities for communities to become active partners in building a better future.