The National Government initiated the Barangay Bottom-Up Budgeting with the goal to pursue inclusive growth and poverty reduction, and promote good governance at the barangay level by engaging community-based people’s organization in (1) identifying priority projects and activities in line with the delivery of basic barangay services and facilities as contained in Section 17 (b) of the Local Government Code of 1991 and/or in support of Disaster Risk Reduction Management; (2) implementing the project; and (3)  monitoring the delivery of basic services in the community.

THE BuB Process

Bottom-up Budgeting (BuB) is a budgetary reform introduced in 2012, in pursuit of attaining the Philippine Development Plan’s goal of inclusive growth and poverty reduction and promoting good governance at the local level. For Camarines Sur alone, total project costs identified in the program is PHP 4,647,580,476.77 for years 2012 to 2015.

The BuB process starts with identification of local poverty reduction projects by the concerned Local Government Units (LGUs) and their identified Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) based from the agreed Menu of Programs given by the participating Government Agencies. The Regional Poverty Action Reduction Team reviews these identified projects in accordance with all the applicable guidelines and submit the same to the concerned National Government Agencies (NGAs).  The NGAs shall coordinate with the LGU in the implementation of the projects to the local level and conduct periodic project monitoring and assessment. The present BuB process shall expand its coverage not just to the municipal and city levels but also to the barangay level by the year 2017.

THE BARANGAY BOTTOM-UP BUDGETING

In February 2016, President Benigno S. Aquino III launched the Barangay Bottom-Up Budgeting (BBuB). The expansion will build on the experiences of the implementation of the current BuB Process as well as other community-based programssuch as the DSWD KALAHI-CIDDS Program. The program seeks to cover all barangays by FY 2019, starting with a pilot phase covering at least 30% of barangay in FY 2017 subject to the criteria outlines in this issuances. Recipient Barangays shall receive the maximum amount of PHP 1,000,000.00 for the implementation of their identified priority project(s) through direct downloading of funds.

For the barangay to qualify with the BBuB Programs, the following criteria must be present:

1. Compliance to the Full Disclosure Policy. Rated Full Compliance for the Barangay Full Disclosure Policy (FDP) Postings for FY 2015 and succeeding years;
2. Conduct of the Barangay Assembly. Conducted Barangay Assembly for the First Semester of CY 2016
3. Presence of Barangay Development Plan (BDP). Formulated BDP for 2013-2016 and the same is adopted by their respective Sangguniang Barangay Members; and
4. Capacity to implement the Project with the following general indicators:
   1. Good Leadership
   2. Good Track Record
   3. Good Fiscal Management.

Assessment of said criteria is expected to be undertaken this year and project may be implemented by FY 2017.