Social Developments
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Alternative Budget InitiativeBudget Reforms
Also, because of the ABI, for the first time in Philippine history, the Congress Committee on Appropriations invited non-government and people’s organizations to participate in budget deliberations in Congress and to present their alternative budget proposals. The Committee, since then, made it a point to invite the ABI in annual budget deliberations. Meanwhile, as a result of ABI policy advocacy,partner Senators and Congressmenpassed a Bill to institutionalize people’s participation in the national and local budget processes. As a result of the call for transparency, the Bicameral Conference Committee made a resolution to let the public attend and know the results of the Bicameral meetings on the budget. The Senate and House of Representatives also agreed to form a Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on the Budget which will conduct monthly hearings on the implementation of the budget. SWP also taps the mass media as partners in budget advocacy. It regularly trains mass media practitioners to analyze and report on the budget; and shares it analyses on the budget with media. SWP-ABI rigorously push for are total abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel and some items in the Special Purpose Funds (SPF). These are vague budget items that are highly prone to corruption because these are under the sole discretion of the President. SWP-ABI calls for the transfer of pork barrel funds and SPFs to poverty alleviation programs of national government agencies. SWP also calls for close monitoring and auditing of "invisible budgets" or those funds that are not included in the national budget. This includes shares of Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) and Motor Vehicles Users Charge (MVUC). Back to top |
Budget Reforms
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