This document discusses active citizenship and constructive engagement in local governance and democracy in the Philippines. It outlines programs and budgets for advocacy groups to engage with the executive and legislative branches on budget preparation, oversight, and increasing budget transparency. It provides context from 2010-2016 on social programs and efforts to increase citizen participation. It discusses the power of the budget process and identifies opportunities for citizens to help prevent corruption, improve allocations, demystify budgets, and respond to community needs through roles like monitoring, advising, and supporting grassroots efforts. Finally, it reflects on insights around checks and balances, sustaining engagement, improving information quality, and building capacity and constituencies for budget reform.

1. Active Citizenship in Local
Governance and Democracy
June 19, 2012
Discovery Suites, Mandaluyong, Manila

2. PROGRAMS
• Knowledge and Practice
linking Democratic
Politics- Good
Governance-
Development Outcomes
• Knowledge and Practice
on Constructive
Engagement
• Constituency Building
for Active Citizenship

3. BUDGET ADVOCACY GROUPS
Desired Outcomes of BAG
• Engagement with Executive in Effective Budget
Preparation and Execution
• Engagement with Legislature in effective budget
oversight
• More budget information in terms of process and
content made available and understandable to a
wider public
• Clarified rules on contentious budget provisions,
implementing guidelines and issuances.

4. PHILIPPINE CONTEXT
2010- 2016
• A People’ Campaign 2007-2010
• Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap
• 16-pt Social Contract
• Philippine Development Plan
• 5 Spending Priorities
• Constructive Engagement with Citizens and
Civil Society (Kayo ang Boss Ko)
• BANTAY – GABAY – TULAY - KAAGAPAY
• Power/Politics of the Purse and DILG’s FDP

5. emPOWERment
Transitions and Directions
WHAT WE HAVE KNOWN WHAT WE ARE LEARNING AND
DEFINING
Centralized Government Localization
“Black Box of Governance” “Participative Governance”
CSO ‘protest’ and ‘opposition’ CSO ‘partner for reform’ identity
identity
Centralized/Restricted/Classified WWW, Wikileaks, Wikepedia,FOI
“Information as power” Information-based power
Politics of the Politician Politics of the Citizen
CULTURE OF IMPUNITY CULTURE OF ACCOUNTABILITY

6. Basis for Full Disclosure Policy
RA 7160
Section 352 of the Local Government Code: “..posting within
30 days from end of each fiscal year in at least three publicly
accessible and conspicuous places in the local government
unit, a summary of all revenues collected and funds received,
including the appropriations and disbursements of such funds
during the preceding fiscal year.”

7. Basis for Full Disclosure Policy
RA 9184
Republic Act No. 9184, known as the Government
Procurement Reform Act: “…posting of the
Invitation to Bid, Notice to Proceed at Approved
Contract in procuring entity’s premises, in
newspapers of general circulation, the Philippine
Government Electric Procurement System
(PhilGEPS) and the website of the procuring entity.”

8. Basis for Full Disclosure Policy
GAA FY 2012
Section 84 of Republic Act No. 10147 (General Appropriation Act)
FY 2011, re, “Use and Disbursement of Internal Revenue
Allotment of LGUs: “..Strict compliance with Sections 288 and 354
of RA No. 7160 and DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2010-83,
entitled “Full Disclosure of Local Finances, and Bids and Public
Offering”, is hereby mandated: Provided, that in addition to the
publication or posting requirement under Section 352 of RA No.
7160 in three (3) publicly accessible and conspicuous places in the
local government unit…

9. GAA FY 2012
(Continuation)
…the LGUs shall also post the detailed information on the use
and disbursement, and status of programs and projects in
the LGUs’ websites. Failure to comply with these
requirements shall subject the responsible officials to
disciplinary actions in accordance with existing laws.”

10. Basis for Full Disclosure Policy
Commission on Audit Internal Memo
Commission on Audit Internal Memorandum, dated October 8,
2010, enjoining concerned COA officials and auditors to
monitor management’s compliance to DILG Memorandum
Circular 2010-83, and any deviation therefrom or non-
compliance therewith shall be a subject of an Audit Observation
Memorandum, and eventually forms part of the Annual Audit
Report or Management letter, if necessary.

11. 12 FDP DOCUMENTS
AB
Abstracts Cash
Items SRE
FULL DISCLOSURE
POLICY
Bids TF
TRANSPARENCY
ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTICIPATION
APP SEF
SOURCE DOCUMENTS
FOR FDP DOCUMENTS
Debt IRA
GAD

12. The Power of the Purse
• The most concrete governance tool
• The most visible and trackable policy/law
• Expression of government priorities
• Anti-corruption; transparent, accountable and
participatory governance
• Poverty reduction and empowerment of the poor
and vulnerable
• Rapid, equitable and sustained economic growth
• Just, inclusive and lasting peace and the rule of
law
• Integrity of the environment and climate change
mitigation and adaptation

13. The Power of the Purse
• Institutionalized and
predictable cycle
• Identified intervention points,
accountabilities and decision
making bodies/institutions
• Potential to be the ‘common
language’ between government
and citizens
(NBM 109, NBC 536, NBC 539)
• Can be an objective vehicle and
measure of advocacy “Bottom-
up Budgeting” (JMC 1–2012)

14. Context for
Citizen Engagement in PFM
 Formulation of
External policy and budget
Scrutiny and Outcomes, preparation
Audit Policies,
Strategies JMC 1-2012
Performance, NBM 109
Compliance NBC 536
Value
Public Fiscal Management
(PFM) Target
Results,
Output
Indicators
 Execution Records,
and Reports
Legislation
Delivery NBC 539  and Approval

15. Citizenship and Constructive
Engagement
• BANTAY – prevent financial
corruption and enhance
accountability
• GABAY – improve budget
allocation and facilitate fund
distribution procedures –
negotiating priorities
• TULAY – demystify the budget
and the budget process
• KAAGAPAY – respond to basic
needs of citizens at grassroots

16. KEY INSIGHTS
• Check and Balance between executive and legislative –
define countervailing force role of CSOs
• Period for engagement must be sustained throughout the
budget process even if particular attention is focused on
one or two phases – from macroeconomic assumptions to
audit balancing efficiency and quality of budget
• Quality of available information
– What is dependent on relationships?
– What is dependent on systems and processes?
– What is dependent on simple access?

17. KEY INSIGHTS
• Sharp and specialized/focused capacity development by
and among CSOs
• Broad public and private constituency building for
Budget Work (Public Fiscal Management Reform)
• Both of these tracks can and should accompany strategic
reform efforts or the most vulnerable sectors/institutions
– Bottom-up Budgeting
– Full Disclosure Policy
– Education and Health within CCT

18. KEY INSIGHTS
• Need to map CSO presence and capacity assessment for
constructive engagement in local and national budget
processes
• Need to pilot report templates for Congress oversight of
budget execution for identified PAPs in selected agencies
• Need to establish an independent multi-sourced (public
and private) fund to sustain and institutionalize cso
constructive engagement in budget cycle

19. References:
• Local Government Act of 1991 RA 7160
• President’s Budget Message for 2012
• General Provisions of GAA for 2012 (attached PDF) - Section 84 on IRA and Full
Disclosure Policy
• DILG MC2011-134
• National Budget Memorandum No.109
• National Budget Circular No. 536
• National Budget Circular No. 539
• Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1 Series of 2012
• RA 9184 Government Procurement Reform Act
• DILG AO 17 Feb 2012 Directing the use of the Procurement Service and Philippine
Government Electronic Procurement System in Procurement Activities in
accordance with RA 9184

20. Active Citizenship in Local
Governance and Democracy
Maxine Tanya Hamada