Budget ng Bayan sa Kamay ng Taumbayannapc.gov.ph/sites/default/files/documents/articles/Budget ng Bayan sa... · Budget ng Bayan sa Kamay ng Taumbayan As of the ﬁrst quarter of

Issue# 07

Budget ng Bayan sa Kamay ng

Taumbayan Ella Mae Eleazar

Budget ng Bayan sa Kamay ng

Taumbayan

Budget ng Bayan sa Kamay ng Taumbayan

T�� -�� , �� (CSO�), �� . I� �� B��-�� B�� (B�B) �� .

The BuB draws its strength from the empowerment and convergence of local government units (LGUs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) from identification of their needs to selection of projects with corresponding budget allocation to address the most pressing poverty issues in the locality.

Since its inception in 2011, BuB has successfully allowed the active participation of basic sectors in crafting Local Poverty Reduction Action Plans (LPRAPs). These are programs, activities and projects that address the needs of the poor in cities and municipalities.

To further promote inclusivity, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has been included in the FY2017 cycle. ARMM LGUs had been part of BuB since 2013. However, participation was postponed in 2015 and 2016 in anticipation of the transition of the Bangsamoro Government proposed in the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

During its first year in 2011, the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) identified more than 600 LGUs with high incidence of poverty and high magnitude of poor people in cities/municipalities. The said list of LGUs was the focus LGUs for the pilot run of BuB in FY2013. For the second year, the selection included those places with a poverty incidence of at least 20% (based on the 2009 Small Area Estimates) and with at least 5,000 poor individuals (based on the 2009 Small Area Estimates and 2010 census data).

500

500


But the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster of the Cabinet allocated budgets to only 300 of the 609 cities. Nevertheless, the NAPC Secretariat persistently lobbied for the other cities and municipalities to be covered by BuB.

CSO representatives joined the Local Poverty Reduction Action Team (LPRAT) during the BuB pilot test in 2012. It was hoped that genuine representation of the grassroots would ensure that the process would be free from bias and political patronage.

“Nung year one, parang sapilitan ang partnership, particularly on the side of the LGUs that are not used to being partners with CSOs in planning and budgeting. Ordinary folk, through their engagements, learned to articulate their needs and aspirations that turned into program or project proposals in the LPRAPs and upon approval, are implemented by the LGU,” said Peregine M. Cayadong, Chief of the Monitoring Division of the Local Affairs Coordinating and Monitoring Service of the NAPC.

The Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2 ensured the equal representation of CSOs and LGUs in the LPRAT. Being members of the LPRAT, the CSOs can participate in the analysis of the poverty situation their city and/or municipality and in prioritizing projects for inclusion in the BuB Menu.

Addressing the challenges

Data limitations may lead to inaccuracy of analysis. Administrative and logistical constraints mean that not all projects can be implemented. Some groups that were left out complain.

Let us focus on data first. Data at the municipal level are either limited or outdated and the poverty situation analysis and needs of the people may be deemed inaccurate or treated as the perception only of CSO representatives.

The Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) is a poverty diagnostic tool that can be used to identify the needs of the communities and monitor the performance of LGUs but not all local governments use the CBMS. Some LGUs use data from other sources. It would be ideal if municipalities would use the same datasets. It is important to explore mechanisms to produce more relevant and timely data sources.

According to Cayadong, “Ang CBMS ay isang poverty diagnosis tool na nakakatulong na mabatid kung saan at sino ang mga mahihirap na populasyon. Isa din itong monitoring tool na may kakayahan na masundan ang pag-angat ng mga LGUs. Sana, kung lahat ng bayan may CBMS, meron kang matibay at maasahan na poverty datasets na magiging klarong basehan at gabay sa paggawa ng plano at badyet.”


A mechanism for strengthening the coordination between CSOs and LGUs, especially in identifying the needs of the community, and for improving the process for consolidation and review (among NGAs) has been developed through the Regional Poverty Reduction Action Team (RPRAT). (The RPRAT is composed of representatives from BuB implementing and oversight agencies, and representative/s from the Basic Sectors, as endorsed by NAPC.) Each member-agency in the regional level is expected to provide technical assistance to concerned LGUs to ensure that technical and financial standards of projects are met.

Another mechanism is the setting up of Local Monitoring Teams whose members will be composed of the LPRAT. These teams will receive trainings, as well.

Certain LGUs reportedly have more approved projects than their CSO counterparts. Meanwhile, the limited CSO participation is caused by bureaucratic bottlenecks, for example: delayed notices of meetings, difficulties of CSOs in getting accredited, lack of funding; and even political constraints, such as local chief executives who are not politically aligned with CSOs. Then there are also issues of CSOs that are not at all interested in taking part in the process.

Some mayors were quick to see the opportunity in the LPRAT for political gain by appointing relatives to sit in the LPRAT and pass these as supposedly representing CSOs. It was precisely to expressly prohibit any such thing from happening again that the Joint Memorandum Circular 5 was issued. This improved CSO participation in the succeeding BuB cycles.

Furthermore, to address the bias in selection and approval of projects in some areas, a process documentation of the CSO Assembly and LPRAP Workshop was required in 2015 to ensure that the proposed projects of both CSOs and LGUs can be included and tracked.

“Pag submit nila ng LPRAP, merong kasamang complete documentation ng CSO Assembly at LPRAP workshop. It's our way of tracking kung ano ang napag-usapan sa CSO Assembly hanggang sa LPRAP Workshop para makita kung 'yun talaga ang nakapasok sa final LPRAP ng mga city or municipality,” Cayadong explained.


Starting in FY2015, the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) was set up. This setup allows BuB funds to be released directly to the LGUs. Under the LGSF mechanism, funds are downloaded from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Central Office to its Regional Offices and then directly to LGUs. This setup was further improved in the FY2016; funds are directly downloaded to the LGUs by the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) pursuant to a constitutional provision that all fund allocations for LGUs should be directly deposited to their accounts, similar to the process for the release of the LGUs' Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).

Only LGUs that have passed the governance requirements: with Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping from the DILG, complied substantially to the Public Financial Improvement Plan (PFIP) with the DBM, and have no adverse findings by COA are qualified to use this mechanism. BuB projects covered by LGSF include: (1) the Integrated Community Food Production (ICFP) supervised and monitored by the NAPC, (2) core local roads, evacuation facility projects and (3) disaster risk reduction-related projects supervised and monitored by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Aside from those previously covered in FY2015, the projects are expanded in FY2016 to include irrigation facilities that will be supervised and monitored by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), health facility enhancement projects (HFEP) that will be supervised and monitored by the Department of Health (DOH), and basic education facilities (BEF) that will be supervised and monitored by the Department of Education (DepEd).

The BuB projects in Tacurong were geared towards generating employment with the distribution of starter kits under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)'s integrated livelihood program and the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES). The municipality also implemented community-based training programs through the TESDA-accredited course on Motorcycle/Small Engine Servicing NC II. In all, 149 beneficiaries graduated in 2015, who were provided with sufficient skills to become mechanics. In addition to these, seedling production was funded under the National Greening Program and capacity building, skills training and provision of capital under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).


As of the first quarter of 2015, the regional poverty incidence in Region 12 was at 44.5, decreasing slightly from 44.7 in 2012.

Since 2012, there has been a resounding clamor from CSOs and LGUs for capacity building on the budget process in order to increase the chances of their projects being included in the priority list. As the implementing arm of the BuB process, more work is demanded from the government but the LGUs can absorb only a limited number of people working in the program.

In the previous JMCs, NAPC was tasked to provide feedback to LGUs regarding the priority projects, document the process and provide the platform for feedback through an online system for monitoring, including the monitoring of the Integrated Community Food Production (ICFP) program. For the FY2017 cycle, NAPC will take on the task of capacitating the CSOs.

With the signing of the latest Joint Memorandum Circular No. 7, a grievance redress mechanism was established to address the issues during the planning and project implementation phase in the 2017 budget. The new mechanism allowed for grievances to be communicated through the Regional Poverty Reduction Action Team (RPRAT) lodged at the DILG Regional Offices. The regional offices will refer the grievances to the Regional Grievance Redress Committee (RGRC) chaired by one of the Provincial Focal Persons of the NAPC. The RGRC shall be responsible in validating the grievances and formulating

solutions and/or recommendations that will be approved by the RPRAT Chairperson who is the DILG Regional Director.

I� �� , �� JMC �� . T�� , �� . M��, �� , �� LGU� �� CSO� �� .

About the Author:

Ella Mae Eleazar is a staff of the Policy Monitoring and Social Technology Service Unit (PMSTS) of NAPC. She is a graduate student of the Department of Sociology in UP Diliman. Her research interests include urban sociology, community resilience to disasters, and qualitative research methods.She enjoys mountain trekking and swimming. At home, she spends quality time with her dog, Peanut.

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NATIONAL ANTI-POVERTY COMMISSION

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Trunklines: 426-5028 / 426-5019 / 426-4956 / 426-5144Fax: 423-41235

Website: www.napc.gov.ph

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Budget ng Bayan sa Kamay ng Taumbayannapc.gov.ph/sites/default/files/documents/articles/Budget ng Bayan sa... · Budget ng Bayan sa Kamay ng Taumbayan As of the ﬁrst quarter of