MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, December 18 (PIA) ---
Stakeholders of Bottom-up Budgeting (BuB) in the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) gathered for a two-day summit in Cotabato City to
further enhance the program and strengthen government and basic sector
partnership.
Dubbed ‘ARMM BuB Summit,’ the activity started on December 16
until December 17. It was convened by the region’s Interior and Local
Government department (DILG-ARMM) and the National Anti-Poverty Commission
(NAPC).
Over 90 local chief executives and 111 representatives from
civil society organizations from different towns and provinces, officials of
regional line agencies such as Departments of Health, Social Welfare and
Development, and Education, as well as representatives from national oversight
agencies participated in the BuB activity.
“This program seeks to increase citizen’s access to local
service delivery through demand-driven budget planning process, and to
strengthen government accountability,” Anwar Malang, ARMM’s secretary of
Interior and Local Government said.
Meanwhile, Jose Eliseo Rocamora, NAPC secretary said the BuB
Summit also covered the current implementation of the program in the ARMM,
generate solutions to problems identified in the implementation and lay-out
fundamental agreements on the proposed direction for BuB in 2017.
A total of P20 billion will be allocated for BuB 2017 program
nationwide.
Bottom-up Budgeting is an approach in formulating budget
proposals of national government agencies, taking into consideration the
development needs of poor cities, or towns, as identified in their respective
local poverty reduction action plans. Such plans are formulated with strong
participation from basic sectors and civil society organizations.
Among the BuB-funded projects implemented in the region are
provisions of community water supply systems and new health centers, and
initiatives on gender and development.
From 2013 to 2015, a total of 119 projects under BuB have
been completed and 144 more projects are on going.
Meanwhile, ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman formally received 97
brand new patrol cars as part of BuB program for the region.
DILG Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento
led the turnover of the patrol cars, which would be distributed to the
different police offices in the region.
Hataman said the patrol cars will boost the region’s law
enforcement capability specifically at local government level. The Police
Regional Office-ARMM headed by Chief of Police Ronald Estilles and other
officials were present during the turnover ceremony.
Local government units in the ARMM have been part of the BuB
program implementation since it started in 2012. The reform program is
implemented by the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster of the
national government with the objective of attaining the Philippine Development
Plan’s goals of inclusive growth and poverty reduction, and to promote good
governance at the local government level. (BPI/PIA-10)
No comments