Fiscal management is defined as “the ability to develop and manage financial systems through responsible stewardship of fiscal resources.” So how is this relevant to social welfare and development? It is imperative for all national government agencies to disclose the utilization of their respective allotted budget. For the Department, one of the strategies to obtain balanced fiscal management is through the BPA, where the allocation of the budget is sector-focused and needs are determined through consultation process during the annual budget preparation.
In its continuing efforts to confirm that there is no corruption in the agency, the DSWD – NCR recently signed the Budget Partnership Agreement with nine (9) Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
Following the administration’s Open Government Partnership, the BPA creates an opportunity where CSOs and other Social Welfare and Development Agencies (SWDAs) may actively participate in the budget process. It provides a constructive partnership between national government agencies and private entities in the monitoring of the implementation of various programs, activities or projects of the government. This procedure highlights the importance of transparency in all government transactions and processes.
The BPA is in line with the Department’s “four areas of mobilization” initiative, particularly the “Bantay” or the unbiased monitoring of projects and activities that is anchored on transparency and good governance. Also included in the areas of mobilization are “Tulay” which refers to creation of partnerships to bridge external assistance to social protection programs; “Kaagapay” or the implementation of the anti-poverty programs; and the “Gabay” or the mechanism of extending necessary technical assistance.
In line with this, the Department issued the Memorandum Circular No. 14, series of 2013, called the “Terms of Reference (TOR) for the DSWD Conduct of the National and Regional Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Consultation for the Annual Budget Preparations.” The issuance institutionalizes the conduct of CSO consultation and forging of the budget partnership agreements (BPAs) between the DSWD and the CSOs at the national and regional levels, as a component of the national agency budget process. ###