The Provincial Stakeholders’ Forum for the Province of Sorsogon spearheaded by the DILG Provincial Office was conducted last October 16, 2015 at Fernando’s Hotel, Sorsogon City. It was dubbed as the 1^st Provincial Stakeholders’ Forum conducted both in the Region and the Country. The activity aimed at strengthening the Bottom-Up Budgeting (BUB) provincial mechanisms as it served its purpose to be an avenue where the Civil Society Organizations and the selected Local Government Officials and functionaries identified issues and recommended strategies necessary in improving the implementation of the program. The activity paved the way for the representatives of the member agencies of the Regional Poverty Reduction Action (RPRAT) V to update LGUs of the status of their projects and remind them once more of their compliance to the submission of the required documentary requirements which would certainly fast track the implementation of the BUB projects in their respective localities.

A total of eighty-two (82) participants from fifteen (15) Cities and Municipalities were present. Such number of participants composed of the LPRAT Chair and Vice-Chairpersons, CSO representatives and the City/Municipal Local Government Operations Officers. Only four (4) out of the fifteen (15) invited LCEs were present and they were the LCEs of the Municipalities of Sta. Magdalena, Prieto Diaz and Matnog and Sorsogon City. The LCEs who failed to attend were represented either by the Municipal Administrators or the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinators.

 

The activity started at 10:00 in the morning with the usual opening program. All participants were welcomed by Atty. Arnaldo Escober, Jr., DILG Provincial Director of the Province of Sorsogon. Thereafter it was followed by a message from the BUB Regional Coordinator, Fr. Leo Casas. OIC-DILG Regional Director Elouisa T. Pastor was also present to personally oversee the conduct of the activity and deliver the message for the participants. During her talk, she emphasized the critical role of the CSOs in the BUB Process. She stressed in her message that the group is gathered to discuss solutions and not problems on the BUB implementation. Accordingly she urged them to be cautious in the performance of their individual tasks. She likewise conveyed her appreciation of the presence of the CSOs, LGU officials and functionaries and the representatives of the Regional Poverty Reduction Action Team (RPRAT) –member agencies. She also took the opportunity to introduce to the participants to leader of the Regional Project Management Team RPMT), Mr. Pedro Bernaldez, Ph.D.

The rationale of the forum was discussed in details by Ms. Evelyn Ubaldo, a Community Mobilizer (CM) assigned in the said province. She stressed that the BUB Program of the government intends to alleviate poverty by empowering the grassroots thru active partnership. On the other hand, Mr. Alex Jazareno, another CM of Sorsogon articulated some inputs on the roles of the basic sectors in the program.

5 groups was form from among the participants to discuss a certain topic.

Group	LGUs	Topic
1	Pilar, Donsol and Castilla	BUB CSO Assembly
2	Sorsogon City, Casiguran, Juban	BUB LPRAP Woop
3	Magallanes, Bulan & Irosin	BUB Project Implemerkshntation
4	Matnog, Bulusan & Sta. Magdalena	LGC-LSBs Accreditation Process
5	Barcelona, Gubat,& Prieto Diaz	LGC-Local Special Bodies’ Functionality

Thereafter, the program ended with a closing message from PD Escober. A post-forum meeting was conducted by Fr. Leo Casas with the participants. He urged them to federate by forming the Provincial Federation of CSOs. Through this, the CSOs in Sorsogon will all the more be strengthened and empowered.