Gov’t to implement bottom-up budget process in pilot municipalities

MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino administration will implement its so-called Bottom-Up Budgeting (BUB) process in pilot municipalities in the Philippines, a cabinet official said.

The BUB is a key initiative introduced by the Department of Budget and Management. Under this innovation, the DBM would be tapping 609 local government units (LGUs), identified as part of the poorest in the country, to work with civil society organizations and local communities in drafting their own programs and projects.

In a recent meeting with civil society organizations, Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas III said the process is now being implemented in pilot municipalities in the Philippines.

Speaking in front of around 250 non-government organizations during the 5th Congress and 20th year anniversary of the Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE NGO) held at the Ateneo de Manila University last week, Roxas said the implementation of the Bottom-Up Budgeting program would help the government have a successful partnership with its citizens.

“For a government to be successful, we should harness the power of the people and encourage partnership with the citizenry,” Roxas said.

For the first phase of the program, the government has already identified 600 municipalities and cities that are collaborating with civil society organizations to craft the 2013 national budget.

The Budget department said this initiative hopes to ensure that government funds would work in areas where poverty reduction programs are necessary.

Roxas, also said the Aquino government welcomes constructive engagement with civil society organizations especially in crafting the budget.

After the first phase of the BUB process, Roxas said the government would implement the second phase.

This, he said, would involve more than 1,200 municipalities and cities, a big increase from the number of areas covered in the initial phase.