CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT IN ANTI CORRUPTION PROGRAMS IN THE PHILIPPINES: THE BUDGET NETWORK CASE

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CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT IN ANTI- CORRUPTION PROGRAMS
IN THE PHILIPPINESTHE BUDGET NETWORK CASE

• Emilia T. Boncodin
• Professor
• National College of Public Administration and
  Governance
• University of the Philippines
• WORLD CIVIC FORUM
• Seoul, Korea
• May 5 8, 2009

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ANTI-CORRUPTION PROGRAMS

• many levels national, regional, local
• many areas elections, government appointments,
  enforcement, judicial system, use of government
  funds, collection of government resources, etc.
• many manifestations
• inadequate, if not lack of, public services (bad
  roads, dilapidated facilities, etc.)
• informal settlers, malnourished children, etc.
• unemployment, opportunities for livelihood

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Anti-Corruption ProgramthroughApplied
National Budget Work (the monitoring and
evaluation of national or central government
budget and budgeting system)
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WHY NATIONAL BUDGET WORK?

• all-encompassing reach National Government
  programs and activities
• not the usual area of citizen engagement
• CSOs undertake monitoring without in-depth budget
  knowledge
• encouragement from the work of other countries

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CSO Engagement in National Budget Work

• Generally not an area of interest because
• complexity of the national budget process
  requiring highly technical training
• lack of regular data on the budget apart from the
  annual budget documents
• macro level perspective not interesting to the
  general public
• the national budget mystique

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ELEMENTS OF SUCCESFULL NATIONAL BUDGET WORK

• Knowledge of key economic issues
• Knowledge of the budget process and the elements
  of a good budget
• Media and dissemination
• Accurate, accessible and timely products
• Working with policymakers
• Open and transparent government financial
  information system

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TYPES OF NATIONAL BUDGET WORK

• Budget Literacy Enhancement
• Budget Guides
• Budget Training
• Assessment of the Budget Process and Budget
  Systems
• Budget process and system studies
• Transparency and participation reports
• Participatory budgeting

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TYPES OF NATIONAL BUDGET WORK . . . contd

• Analysis of Budget Policies
• Government Budget Proposals
• Sector Analysis
• Effects on Population Groups
• Effects on Economic and Social Rights
• Revenue and Debt Analysis
• General Economic Analysis

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THE NATIONAL BUDGET PROCESS

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Legislation
Preparation
Execution
Control and Accountability
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SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR CORRUPTION IN THE BUDGET
PROCESS

• Preparation Inclusion of projects that do not
  have
• desired impact or value projects are poorly
  planned or designed patronage projects lack of
  cost standards
• Legislation Political horse-trading patronage
  projects
• Execution Delays in funds availability
  unpredictable
• payments scheme tedious documentation
  delaying paper flow procurement issues
• Control/Accountability No results orientation
  poor internal control and reporting systems
  inadequate oversight too complex accounting
  system non- independence of auditors

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CSO INVOLVEMENT IN NATIONAL BUDGET WORK
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CSO INVOLVEMENT IN NATIONAL BUDGET WORK . . .
contd
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CSO INVOLVEMENT IN NATIONAL BUDGET WORK . . .
contd
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CSO INVOLVEMENT IN NATIONAL BUDGET WORK . . .
contd
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INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN CSO BUDGET MONITORING

• USA Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
  (CBPP)
• - started December 1981, the first year of the
  Reagan Administration
• - national and state level
• - all aspects of budget policy (tax,
  expenditures, debts, the economy, poverty, etc)
• - International Budget Project Open Budget
  Initiative

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INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN CSO BUDGET MONITORING
. . . contd

• INDIA Development Initiative for Social and
  Human Action (DISHA)
• - founded 1985 initially as a membership
  organization working on forest laborers and
  tribal issues
• - since 1992, started work on state-level issues
  through budget analysis and policy advocacy
  (GUJARAT state)
• - popular notes used by legislators

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INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN CSO BUDGET MONITORING
. . . contd

• South Africa Budget Information Service
  Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA)
• - IDASA is a public interest organization
  committed to consolidating democratic
  institutions in South Africa
• - BIS established in 1994 after the first
  democratic elections
• - initially, was a source of alternative
  information from legislators later evolved into
  an independent source of critical analysis of the
  budget
• - heavily engaged after announcement of budget
  proposal through analysis, reports, budget briefs

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PHILIPPINES THE BUDGET NETWORK

• a network of civil society organizations,
  including non-government organizations, academe,
  business, professional and media groups dedicated
  to promoting national budget literacy and
  understanding among citizens
• created in 2008 basically to perform
• advocacy role on national budget issues relevant
  to the general public
• research and analytical services on the national
  budget
• training tof interested groups on budget advocacy
• 15 CSOs, including 3 of the biggest universities
  in the Philippines and 5 of the biggest CSOs

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General Strategy

• make the national budget public-friendly by
  simplifying technical information
• close coordination with national authorities to
  gain cooperation and respect through factual
  interpretation of budget data
• value-added services to the Network
• open website for members and the public
  (www.philbudgetmonitoring.com)

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MAJOR ACTIVITIES

• Needs assessment of Philippine CSOs on national
  budget monitoring
• Conduct of training program for Network members
• Basic Budgeting
• Advance Training on the Infrastructure Budget
• Advance Training on the Security Sector Budget
• Advance Training on the Budget of Judicial
  Administration
• Special Training for the Media
• Monthly Network meetings on current issues
• Budget Bulletins on Specific Budget Areas
• Quarterly Network Forum

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OTHER CSO GROUPS

• Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) Social
  Watch Philippines
• focus on MDG-related expenditures
• National Center for Budget Legislation
• consultancy services for legislators

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SOME ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Conduct of National Forum on the Proposed FY 2009
  National Budget
• well-attended (over 100 network members), with
  participants from Congress
• Advocacy for Budget Transparency gaining ground
  with the governments publication of a Citizens
  Budget (Budget-in-Brief)
• Analysis of previous years budget performance
  yielded key findings (i.e., over-release of funds
  to government agencies)
• Regular network meetings has developed capacity
  of CSOs in applied budget work
• (Note CSOs self rating is 7, up from
  1 in the latest survey)

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SOME ACCOMPLISHMENTS . . . contd

• Advocacy for Reforming the Budget Law
• Support to Strengthening of Anti-Corruption Units
• Multi Sectoral Council for Anti-Corruption
  (MSCAC)
• Citizen Watchdogs
• Appointments Watch
• Pork Barrel Watch
• Procurement Watch
• Road Watch
• Election Watch
• Advocacy for Reforming the Accounting and Audit
  Systems to Conform with International Standards

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FUTURE ACTIVITIES

• Training Course on National Budgeting offered
  annually
• Expenditure tracking of key accounts
• pork barrel of legislators
• other lump sum accounts
• Budget performance reports, particularly
• agriculture
• public works
• environment
• security sector
• justice adminstration
• For a, dialogues, bulletins
• Resource institution on budget and budgeting
  issues

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LESSONS IN CSO BUDGET WORK

• Knowledge and accuracy to gain credibility (DO
  YOUR HOMEWORK)
• Constructive, rather than destructive, approach
  to budget work (REPORT GOOD BAD FINDINGS)
• Timeliness of Reports (SEIZE THE MOMENT)
• Non-academic, but generally understandable
  language (SIMPLIFY)
• Regular distribution to audience, including
  public presentations (WIDE REACH)
• Connect with things that matter (WHAT IS IN IT
  FOR ME)

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• There is tremendous value to
• National Budget Monitoring and Evaluation.
• The National Budget is the core
• of everything that government does.
• The National Budget matters to all citizens.

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THANK YOU!