GOVPH

Commitment Description

Period: November 2019-August 2022

Commitment Name: Strengthening Citizen Participation in the Governmental Processes

Program Name: Fiscal Openness Program

Lead Implementing Agency and Organization: Department of Budget and Management (DBM)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?

The legal framework in the Philippines is conducive to citizen participation in governance. The country is host to thousands of non-government organizations that are already engaging with the government at the national and local level, in different phases of the governance cycle. Articles II, X, and XIII of the 1987 Constitution put emphasis to the promotion and protection of the rights of the people and civil society organizations and platforms for "effective and reasonable participation at all levels of social, political and economic decision-making." The Local Government Code of 1991 and the annual General Appropriations Act also supports and highlights the need to provide spaces and appropriate policies for citizen engagement in governance at the local level.

However, a number of civil society and even government stakeholders have raised that the spirit of these legal frameworks, laws, and policies are not adequately reflected in actual practice, or if so, the outputs and outcomes of meaningful citizen engagement are not adequately and appropriately documented and/or measured.

Despite the establishment of various local, regional and national structures and mechanisms to promote and mainstream meaningful citizen engagement in governance, recent policy discussions, stakeholder consultations, and several studies in this governance area have identified the following governance gaps between policy issuance and effective policy implementation both at the national and local levels of government:

1. There is a weak system in documenting citizens participation in national and local governance;
2. The use of technology in governance, particularly in the area of citizens engagement, is not fully maximized;
3. There is a need for providing more platforms to inform the citizens of the state of local governance in their respective local governments

While there is recognition of the accomplishments of government in promoting transparency and establishing functional citizen feedback mechanisms, global governance data on corruption and participatory governance indicate persistence of corruption and shrinking space for civil society as continuing main challenges to the promotion of genuine democracy in the Philippines.

To address these challenges, existing open and participatory governance mechanisms need to be designed and implemented in such a way that it can lead to more concrete and transformative outcomes in terms of improving public service delivery and eradicating the culture of corruption in the public sector.

What is the commitment? How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?

The commitment is mainly to strengthen citizen participation in governmental process. This shall be attained through various initiatives on improving local governance and fiscal openness program being implemented under the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Budget and Management.

In particular, the commitment shall contribute to addressing the public problem identified above by way of the following:

1. Issuance and implementation of National policy on civil society participation in governance;
2. Implementation of Civic Technology for Governance Innovations through Citizen Feedback System (Development Live);
3. Conduct of Town Hall Meetings (Regional, Provincial and Municipal Level)
4. Oversee local governments in promoting the establishment and operation of people’s and non-governmental organizations

The commitment implementation will advance all OGP values of access to information, public accountability, civic participation, and leveraging technology for better governance.

The commitment shall support the fulfillment of the major milestones set in the PGC Resolution No. 1 s. 2019. In particular, this commitment shall contribute to the achievement of the following governance priorities:

1. Ensuring that a portion of the National and Local Budget is intended to support the participation of citizens and civil society in various governance initiatives;
2. Issuance of a National Policy on Civil Society Engagement in Governance;
3. Enforcement of NGA and LGU compliance to pertinent provisions of existing laws related to peoples’ participation in governance; and
4. Implementation of Civic Technology initiatives in government at the National and Local level.

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?

The commitment implementation will be able to advance all OGP values of access to information, public accountability, civic participation, and leveraging technology for better governance. In particular, it will help ensure the issuance of a national policy on participatory governance, ensure the support for citizens and civil society participation in various governance initiatives, ensure that local development councils, with the participation of non-government/civil society organizations, are fully functional and independent third-party monitoring and evaluation are conducted among others.

Additional Information

This commitment is in line with the Philippine Development Plan 2017 – 2022 Chapter 5 on Ensuring People-Centered, Clean, and Efficient Governance.

This commitment is also anchored on the provisions of the Philippine Constitution, the Local Government Code, Executive Orders for Participatory Governance such as EO 24 and EO 67, and SLGP Special Provisions in the General Appropriations Act. Gender indicators are anchored on Republic Act No. 9710 or the Magna Carta for Women.

Commitment Description

Period: August 2020-August 2022

Commitment Name: Strengthening Citizen Participation in the Governmental Processes

Program Name: Policy Issuance on Local Tourism Development Management

Lead Implementing Agency and Organization: Department of Tourism (DOT)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?

Local Development Planning and Investment Programming encompasses Tourism Development Planning, which, in turn, covers the formulation of Agri/Eco Tourism programs (as the case may be). These functions are mandates of the Local Development Council (LDC), under which a Tourism Planning Committee is ideally created to help craft the Local Tourism Development Plan.

Based on a study published in the Philippine Journal of Public Administration2, it is posted that the Local Government Code (LGC) has prescribed citizen participation at a limited level of inclusion in the platform of the LDC. The LGC, as well as the local government unit (LGU) performance measurements that the law has set for citizen participation, failed to clarify the roles and capacities needed by community-based civil society groups for more meaningful participation in the LDCs.

Even with reforms in place, there is still an apparent need to strengthen policy support and expand the space for genuine citizen’s engagement within the context of development planning and investment programming, particularly for the tourism sector.

What is the commitment?

The DOT, jointly with the DILG and DBM, commit to review and harmonize existing guidelines, and issue an updated Joint Memorandum Circular, which shall: (1) clarify the roles of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the entire planning-investment programming continuum; and (2) provide the mechanisms for meaningful citizen participation, particularly in local tourism development.

How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?

The commitment shall provide policy support for more inclusive local tourism development planning and investment programming, within the context of the LDC, by:

1. Delineating the roles of CSOs in the entire local tourism development planning and investment programming – from formulation of the local tourism development plan to its integration in the duly approved local development plans and investment programs; and
2. Providing the mechanisms by which CSOs can meaningfully participate in designing and prioritizing programs geared towards sustainable tourism development – going beyond mere representation in the local planning bodies but gaining and exercising both voice and vote, where appropriate, in the entire process

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?

The commitment responds and promotes to the OGP values of Access to Information, Civic Participation and Public Accountability, in that:

1. Access to Information – the proposed policy issuance fosters an environment where there is greater transparency in decision-making, particularly in the identification and prioritization of local tourism development programs, activities and projects;
2. Civic Participation – the commitment will expand the space for meaningful civic engagement by delineating the roles of CSOs in the entire local tourism development planning and investment programming, and enabling them to gain and exercise both voice and vote, where appropriate; and
3. Public Accountability – the proposed policy issuance shall reinforce and expand existing mechanisms to enforce, as well as incentivize, proper civic representation and participation in the local tourism development planning and investment programming process. The policy issuance shall also provide for the proper feedback mechanism in case the requirements of the law and pertinent rules, regulations and guidelines on civic representation and participation are not complied with.

Additional Information

The commitment will facilitate the cascading of the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2016-2022, as well as the National Ecotourism Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP) 2013-2022, to the local level by ensuring that local tourism development plans, as integrated in the duly approved local development plans and investment programs, are formulated consistent with the NTDP and NESAP. Accordingly, this will also ensure that local development plans contribute to the achievement of high-level outcomes as reflected in the Philippine Development Plan, particularly the indicators - Tourism Gross Value Added, Employment Generated by Tourism, Inbound Arrival and Inbound Revenue, Ambisyon Natin 2040, particularly for the Tourism and Allied Services sector, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), specifically Good Jobs and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Responsible Consumption (SDG 12), and Life Below Water (SDG 14).

Commitment Description

Period: November 30, 2019 - August 31, 2022

Commitment Name: Enhance transparency, accountability and participation in educational service delivery

Program Name: Basic Education Inputs Program

Lead Implementing Agency and Organization: Department of Education (DEPED)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?

As of date, there are about 9,225 LMSs (inventory as of September 1, 2019) nationwide with the following characteristics: (Source: DepEd Memorandum No.059, s. 2019).

1. Having less than four (4) classrooms;
2. With makeshift or non-standard rooms;
3. Absence of electricity;
4. Have not been allocated funds for repairs or new construction projects in the last four (4) years;
5. With travel distance of more than one (1) hour from town center, or with difficulty of terrain;
6. Having multi-grade classes/rooms;
7. With less than five (5) teachers;
8. Having a student population of less than one hundred (100) learners; and
9. With more than 75% Indigenous People (IP) learners.

Weak monitoring of investments and lack of timely and accurate data are some of the challenges in Last Mile Schools. There is difficulty in reaching the LMSs to obtain the needed information and data for delivering the targeted basic education services considering these LMSs are often in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) or communities, with little access to communication and poor infrastructure. Basic education inputs and service delivery flowing in and out of these areas, primarily for the learners, are disconnected.

What is the commitment?

The Department of Education commits to adopt a participatory monitoring and evaluation platform, through the participation of community stakeholders and civil society organizations (CSOs) to complement the work of DepEd in ensuring the needs and gaps in delivering basic education inputs are better addressed.

This will involve:

1. Providing an adaptable monitoring and evaluation system to secure the stakeholders feedback on schools and learners conditions in terms of adequacy for basic education inputs such as, but not limited to classrooms, standard school furniture, teaching and learning materials, and additional teachers and training of existing teachers. DepEd Memorandum No. 059, s. 2019 defines the initial list of interventions to meet the needs of LMSs.
2. Introducing a clear policy for proactive response to identified needs to allow publicly verified information to override bureaucratic procedures in allocation and funding of identified basic education inputs or needs.
3. Enabling program implementers, decision makers, budget officers and planners at various levels of DepEd governance (Central Office, Regional Offices, Division Offices and Schools), to learn which strategies work and what needs to be improved based on publicly verified data, in collaboration with civil society organizations and community stakeholders, so that resources can be better targeted towards LMSs beneficiaries who need most the resources and eventually result to quality education.

The adoption of participatory monitoring and evaluation platform will be piloted in, at most 50% of the physical target based on approved budget for the year for the Last Mile School Program (LMSP). DepEd shall identify said LMSs for pilot implementation based on defined criteria on prioritization while the CSOs shall focus on monitoring and evaluation of LMS Program. (Source: Education Facilities Division as of August 1, 2019).

The Regional Offices, Division Offices and Schools concerned will be involved together with the following DepEd offices at the Central: Education Facilities Division-Administrative Service (AS-EFD), Planning Service, Budget Division-Finance, and Information, Communication and Technology Service (ICTS).

Other Bureaus and Services in the Department of Education will be called upon to provide the needed interventions and support to realize delivery of basic education inputs and services.

The commitment responds to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly “SDG 4.a on school environment: build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.” Specifically, it fulfills “indicator 4.a.1, [which] examines the proportion of schools with access to: (a) electricity; (b) the internet for pedagogical purposes; (c) computers for pedagogical purposes; (d) adapted infrastructure and materials for students with disabilities; (e) basic drinking water; (f) single-sex basic sanitation facilities; and (g) basic handwashing facilities (in line with SDG 6 on water, sanitation and hygiene).”

DepEd’s commitment is directly aligned with the school-based management system, specifically with two of its four pillar principles. One-principle of accountability for performance and results is directly actualized by the monitoring mechanism that will be an inherent feature of LMS implementation. This monitoring mechanism will strengthen existing school management mechanisms that promote transparency and accountability.

The process of LMS implementation will also involve mobilizing stakeholders and their resources which is a direct application of the 2nd principle of convergence to harness resources for education. Given the location of the communities to be responded to, convergence of resources will also be an inherent feature of LMSP implementation.

The Local School Board (LSB) can be requested to provide support in the mobilization of local organizations (e.g., the Sangguniang Kabataan, community organizations) as volunteers in the implementation of the Last Mile Schools Program.

Further, the DepEd commits to “continue cooperation with the private sector and communities, as well as bilateral and multilateral institution towards the fulfillment of our vision and agenda.” (Sec. Leonor Magtolis Briones Ten Point Agenda 2016-2022)

Focus Intervention:

Classroom construction in at most 50% of the physical target based on the approved budget for FY 2020 (Php1.5 billion) for the Last Mile School (LMS) Program.

Additional Focus Intervention:

Distribution of computer packages to learners and educators in the identified beneficiary Last Mile Schools.

How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?

The commitment contributes to solve the problem by providing an open participatory platform for public sharing of education inputs information, and mobilization of civil society or community volunteers in the monitoring process, which will serve as basis for identifying gaps in resources and educational inputs in schools. It facilitates collaborative action to resolve gaps and unmet needs.

More importantly, this commitment to participatory mechanism strengthens the work of DepEd’s Planning Service, Budget Division, ICTS, AS-EFD, Regional Offices, Division Offices and Schools, among others by strengthening the ability to monitor and account for investments made in terms of whether they reached the rightful recipient public schools, matched the actual needs on the ground, and served the intended learning outcomes.

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?

This commitment features all the OGP values of transparency, accountability, participation and technology and innovation in its design and implementation.

Transparency – DepEd discloses education inputs data from its Enhanced Basic Education Information System (EBEIS) and promote platforms that showcase them. The data provides a clear baseline of needs or gaps in education inputs and services in public schools, and can show changes or improvements as a result of people’s engagement with DepEd.

Accountability – The commitment encourages constructive engagement with DepEd and government agencies concerned to resolve the identified service delivery gaps, based on their mandate. It has a well-defined target objective that promotes good governance in service delivery.

Participation – CSOs and community multi-stakeholders will be enabled to receive proper information and be mobilized to monitor and feedback to DepEd’s various levels of governance (Central Office, Regional Offices, Division Offices, and Schools) on the performance of service delivery to Last Mile Schools. They will be expected to pursue, advocate and engage the government to resolve identified bottlenecks, constraints and challenges. The commitment builds people’s capacity by training them on issue analysis, mandate analysis, stakeholders’ analysis, advocacy/lobbying, negotiation, documentation and reporting.

Technology and Innovation –For better sharing of information and participation, the commitment will utilize available technology platforms, namely Facebook’s Workplace for DepEd and CheckMySchool App for community stakeholders. It will facilitate the community members’ access to and use of the tech-based platforms by piloting the setting up of a “digital kiosk” in the selected Last Mile Schools. DepEd, led by ICTS, will provide the necessary gadget, training and guidance for the use of the kiosk

Commitment Description

Period: 01 December 2019 – 31 August 2022

Commitment Name: Increase government data utilization through the publication of high-quality datasets on the Open Data Philippines (ODPh) Portal

Program Name: Open Data Philippines (data.gov.ph) and National Government Portal (gov.ph)

Lead Implementing Agency and Organization: Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?

The Philippine Government generates, collects, and owns data from almost all of its mandate executions. Despite the number of data available in different means and formats, the usage, particularly by the general public, is sub-optimal. There exists a number of barriers that inhibit government data from attaining not only its economic value, but also its true and intrinsic potential as building blocks for good governance. The challenges include but are not limited to the following:

• Low utilization of data due to scattered government sources across various locations and domains;
• Lack of standardized government online content and data that lead to impeded interoperability; and
• Absence of policies within the government system that encourage the publication of data in open formats.

What is the commitment?

The commitment is to increase availability and utilization of government data that will pave the way toward data-driven governance (for the government), and data-driven innovation and development (for the general public). In order to do so, the supply and demand sides of the government data have to be heightened simultaneously.

On the one hand, to address the supply side of data utilization, DICT will be hosting government data and information on their current portals; namely, gov.ph and data.gov.ph. By providing these portals, other government agencies can focus on data and content management instead of managing or developing their own portals. Maintaining designated portals for data and information will address the public concern on scattered government sources, and at the same time, establish standardized online content and templates that will improve interoperability.

The commitment will also focus on implementing policies, standards, and best practices that will mandate agencies to contribute open data and information.

On the other hand, to address the demand side, the DICT will obtain data from the Freedom of Information (FOI) Program, and the requests that they receive and process. The Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System’s (PhilGEPS) open data portal primarily focused on Open Contracting can also be an input to the Open Data Philippines (ODPh). Civil society organizations (CSOs) can also participate and assist by identifying highly needed open data stemming from their operations.

The approach is to target ‘low hanging’ and ‘high impact’ data and information that will be prioritized with the help of government agencies and CSOs to improve its services. Moreover, the DICT aims to conduct Information, Education, and Information (IEC) campaigns for this initiative through quality data visualizations and storytelling. Dialogues and forums will also improve the usefulness and utilization of government data.

How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?

The commitment is the key and measurable end goal to achieve data-driven governance and policies. Specifically, the commitment will address the three specific public problems identified through the following:

1. The commitment will address issues on low data utilization as the use of the portal can be enhanced through data analytics that can measure the number of users and most downloaded data in the ODPh.
2. By having standardized content, the marketing of the portal can become easier. Moreover, consistent data and online content will foster more consumption in terms of data analysis, wherein the general public can use the data for statistics and baseline studies.
3. The implementation of policies, standards, and best practices will improve government systems and processes that will lead to interoperability to achieve ease of doing business and citizen transactions.

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?

Access to Information – More reliable data and information will be accessible to the general public through the strengthened portals on data and information

Civic Participation – Endeavoring to get all of the Philippine Government’s data published on ODPh is no easy feat. The DICT will be relying on statistics from FOI, as well as, CSOs in order to identify the demand side of the data as the DICT would like to provide the data that the citizens actually need. The data demand would steer the efforts of DICT and prioritize the data that is sought after.

Public Accountability – There will be transparency and proper accountability on government data through the portals.

Innovation – In this day and age, data is very valuable and can be used in a multitude of ways. By opening government data and information, we are providing valuable resources to the citizens which they may use to create new products, solutions, and services; and in the government side these data can be used for more effective government projects, programs, and policies.

Additional Information

The commitments are also pursuant to the following goals and laws at present:

1. United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities)
2. United Nations E-Government Index (areas of assessment)
3. Republic Act 10844 s. 2015 entitled the DICT Act
4. Republic Act 11032 s. 2018 entitled the Ease of Doing Business
5. Executive Order 02 s. 2016 entitled the Freedom of Information

Commitment Description

Period: November 30, 2019 - August 31, 2022

Commitment Name: Establishment of an efficient and effective technology-enabled participatory validation and reporting mechanism for selected government infrastructure projects that support the monitoring and evaluation policies of the Department

Program Name: Project DIME (Digital Information for Monitoring and Evaluation)

Lead Implementing Agency and Organization: Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Caucus of Development NGO Network (CODE-NGO)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?

Public problems that this commitment intends to address:

• Weak M&E system

The prevalence of weak monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system in the government is named as one of the major setbacks why the desired results were not achieved in many government programs and projects, as indicated in many Zero-Based Budgeting studies/program reviews commissioned by the DBM. To address this gap, a circular was issued by DBM adopting a results-based monitoring, evaluation and reporting policy in government through National Budget Circular No. 565, series of 2016. This circular mandate all government agencies and instrumentalities to strengthen their M&E system which will promote evidence-based performance results for better decision-making and ultimately improve the government’s performance in the delivery of goods and services. The interactive transparency website will serve as a platform to engage the general public in the monitoring activities by providing feedbacks relative to the covered programs/projects located in their respective localities, thereby helping strengthen the government’s monitoring function and improve the quality of program/project performance information.

• Implementation delay of selected government infrastructure programs and projects

The considerable delay in the implementation and completion of government infrastructure programs and projects have translated into delayed provision of goods and services to the public. These delays were due to perennial reasons that serve as obstacles and hinder completion within the allotted timeframe. The most common of these obstacles are failure of bidding, unworkable sites, land ownership and ROW acquisition issues, delayed preparation of engineering design, poor peace and order conditions, and poor contractor performance, among others. These obstacles would have been avoided if there was good planning and regular monitoring of programs/projects. Through the routine monitoring, progress can be tracked regularly in terms of schedule, resource allocation/utilization and achievement of planned targets/outputs.

• Inadequacy of performance information at the program/project level

The inadequacy of information on the actual physical and financial status of programs/projects is one of the challenges being faced by oversight agencies. What is available is information on the financial status at the agency level, but few data especially on the physical accomplishments at the program or project level. The availability of accurate and regularly-generated monitoring information on both the financial and physical status at the program/project level is critical to project managers in making proper decisions, such as in terms of adjustments/change of strategy in implementation, catch-up plans if found behind schedule, discontinuance or expansion of the program/project, among others.

What is the commitment?

The DBM commits to establish an efficient, effective and participatory monitoring, validation and reporting mechanism for selected government infrastructure programs and projects (DPWH, DA, DepEd, NIA) through an interactive transparency website.

How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?

Regular monitoring and reporting will facilitate the generation of timely and relevant information on the performance of government programs/projects, and the problems that delay the implementation. Detection of potential problems at an early stage will enable the implementing agencies (IAs) concerned, to undertake necessary steps/actions for their immediate and proper resolution.

• The feedback mechanism of the transparency website will enable the citizens to be involved in the monitoring of selected infrastructure programs and projects at their localities, and for the DBM and IAs to address/respond to the issues/concerns raised.
• Validation using science-based methodologies and tools will provide verified performance information on selected priority programs and projects.

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?

This commitment features all the OGP values of transparency, accountability, participation, and technology and innovation in its design and implementation.

• Transparency - public disclosure on agency performance at the program/project level shall be made available by providing access to information on physical accomplishment matched with financial utilization being reported by the different government agencies to DBM and validated using science-based methods and tools.
• Accountability - The commitment engages DBM and concerned government agencies to resolve identified service delivery gaps, based on the physical accomplishment and financial data they had reported. It has a well-defined target objective that pushes for good performance in timely service delivery.
• Participation - the project promotes partnerships and collaboration among DBM and other oversight agencies, implementing agencies, and other stakeholders, including the general public. They shall be engaged in a feedback loop intended to improve the implementation strategies of selected priority programs and projects.
• Technology - a key element in the DIME initiative is the use of digital technologies for monitoring and validation of actual progress and performance of the government’s priority programs and projects, particularly those in far-flung areas wherein physical inspection would prove difficult. The commitment likewise intends to capacitate the DIME stakeholders on the use of technology for monitoring, evaluation, validation and reporting.
• Innovation - with the support of DOST and other partners, Project DIME shall maximize the use of digital information to aid DBM and implementing agencies in the budget and management process.

Commitment Description

Period: November 30, 2019 - August 31, 2022 

Commitment Name: Institutionalize transparency and accountability in the extractive industries

Program Name: Mainstreaming implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)

Lead Implementing Agency and Organization: Department of Finance (DOF) and Sectoral Transparency Alliance on Natural Resource Governance Cebu (STANCe)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?

EITI implementation in the Philippines has contributed to efforts to avert the “resource curse” from afflicting the country. The “resource curse” refers to the paradoxical situation where countries, despite having abundant natural resources, manifest increased poverty and less economic growth and development.

More specifically, PH-EITI has sought to address the following issues in natural resource management, among others:

• Need for more transparency and accountability in the extractive industries;
• Lack of understanding on how the extractive industries work;
• Lack of or conflicting data on the taxes and other amounts paid or contributed by extractive companies and collected by the government (both national and local) as well as on the benefits received by communities from extractive activities; and
• Conflict/tension between and among stakeholders

Through EITI, the global standard for the open and accountable governance of oil, gas, and mineral resources, significant gains have been achieved in the areas of public availability of extractives data and information, stakeholder engagement, and policy reform in the extractives. Six years since its inception, EITI implementation in the Philippines continues to expand coverage of data disclosure, broaden stakeholder engagement, and encourage data utilization for the creation of policy recommendations and development plans ultimately aimed at pursuing sustainable development, not only at the national level but more so at the level of communities.

EITI implementation has, however, entailed spending considerable resources particularly in the production of annual comprehensive reports, which require, among other costs, the services of an independent administrator, and the printing of copies of the voluminous report. In addition, challenges in funding and procurement have undermined report production and its potential benefits and impact. These have called for measures and mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of extractives transparency. Without sustainability, both the gains and potential of EITI would be stunted, reversed, or otherwise wasted. This problem, although not unique, presents an opportunity to generate sustainability approaches and models that better secure the attainment of long-term objectives.

What is the commitment?

The DOF commits to institutionalize transparency and accountability in the extractive industries by mainstreaming implementation of EITI in the Philippines.

Mainstreaming EITI entails the creation and issuance of policies, and development of web-based systems that will affect systematic disclosure (to replace traditional publication) of data and information about the extractive industries in the country (mining and oil and gas). Extractives data include requirements under the 2019 EITI Standard such as contract transparency, company payments to government, beneficial ownership, and data on environment and gender, among others.

In addition, mainstreaming seeks to enhance the role and sustain the operations and activities (data analyses, research, creation of policy recommendations, outreach, and communications) of the Multi-stakeholder Group.

On Systematic disclosure and mainstreaming

It must be noted that the EITI has a robust yet flexible methodology for disclosing company payments and government revenues from oil, gas and mining as well as other information about the extractive sector such as information about the legal framework and fiscal regime, licensing practices, state-owned companies, production, exports, etc. Each implementing country creates its own EITI process adapted to the specific needs of the country. This involves defining the scope of information to be published and exploring how disclosure of information about the extractive sector can be integrated into government and company portals to complement and strengthen wider efforts to improve extractive sector governance.

To date, most of the information required by the EITI Standard to be disclosed has been collected and made public through EITI Reports. At the EITI Board meeting in February 2018, the EITI Board agreed on a set of recommendations regarding encouraging systematic disclosure. The EITI Standard enables implementing countries to disclose the information required by the EITI Standard through routine government and corporate reporting systems such as websites, annual reports, etc. The EITI Board agreed that “systematic disclosure should be firmly established as the default expectation, with EITI Reports used to address any gaps and concerns about data quality. Implementing countries could still continue to publish annual EITI reports collating and analyzing information from primary sources in order to make this information more accessible and comprehensible, especially for stakeholders that do not have access to online information”.

Systematic disclosure means that EITI’s disclosure requirements are met through routine and publicly available company and government reporting. This could include enabling access to EITI data through public financial reporting, annual company or government agency reports, information portals, and other open data and freedom of information initiatives. A key concern will be ensuring that the published data is comprehensive and reliable. This should include an explanation of the underlying audit and assurance procedures that the data has been subject to, with public access to the supporting documentation. Mainstreaming refers to the process for realizing this goal, which may include interim measures, pilots, and other capacity building activities.

How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?

The commitment will reduce the cost of EITI reporting while strengthening the role of the MSG in the public discourse on and development of policies pertaining to extractives. With reduced cost, systematic disclosure, and strengthened multi-stakeholder participation, transparency and accountability in the extractives will be more sustainable.

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?

This commitment promotes all of the OGP values, NAMELY, transparency, accountability, participation, and technology and innovation.

• Transparency – It sustains and enhances the disclosure of extractives information.
• Accountability – It empowers and encourages stakeholders to monitor and assess fulfillment of obligations, and provides for a feedback mechanism where stakeholders may participate in resource governance.
• Participation – It enables deeper stakeholder participation in extractives and natural resource governance by providing platforms and venues for engagement.
• Technology and Innovation – It employs or utilizes electronic and user-friendly online tools and platforms and other technological innovations in the disclosure and dissemination of data as well as in engaging stakeholders.

Additional Information

The commitment can contribute to reaching the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 12 (Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns), particularly the targets to:

• achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
• encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
• ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature by 2030.

Commitment Description

Period: November 30, 2019 - August 31, 2022

Commitment Name: Passage of the Freedom of Information Law and Localizing the Freedom of Information Program

Program Name: Freedom of Information Program

Lead Implementing Agency and Organization: Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and Youth Alliance for Freedom of Information (YAFOI)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?

Section 28, Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution adopts and implements a policy of full public disclosure of all its transaction involving public interest, subject to reasonable conditions prescribed by law. Also, Section 7, Article III of the 1987 Philippine Constitution recognizes the right of the people to information on matters of public concern, subject to limitations as may be provided by law. However, more than 30 years since the first Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill was filed, the Philippine Congress has yet to pass legislation that operationalize the people’s right to access information.

Lack of transparency and accountability which may contribute to corruption and inefficient public service delivery are a few of the major problems this commitment will address. Low (or lack of) participation from citizens due to lack of knowledge or information on how the government operates will also be addressed. Direct citizen participation also constitutes a big challenge on account of large and growing population; thus, this commitment will also address insufficient mechanisms to promote and enhance citizen’s participation.

As of this writing, here are the developments:

• On 23 July 2016, President Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) No. 2, s. 2016 entitled “Operationalizing in the Executive Branch the People’s Constitutional Right to Information and the State Policies of Full Public Disclosure and Transparency in the Public Service and Providing Guidelines Therefor.”
• On 25 November 2016, 120 days after the publication of EO No. 2, the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) launched the FOI Program and the electronic FOI (eFOI) portal (www.foi.gov.ph).
• On 29 December 2016, Memorandum Order No. 10 was issued by the Executive Secretary designating the PCOO as the lead agency in the implementation of EO No. 02.
• On 22 September 2017, PCOO Department Order No. 18 formally established the FOI-Project Management Office (FOI-PMO) which is tasked to oversee the implementation of the FOI Program.
• On October 2018, the PCOO and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued a Joint Memorandum Circular encouraging the local government units (LGUs) to enact local ordinances or issue an executive orders to operationalize, in the local level, the people’s right to information. As of date, forty-two (42) LGUs have successfully passed their ordinances or issued executive orders: Province of Ilocos Norte; Province of Bohol; Province of Benguet, La Trinidad; Province of Masbate; Province of Occidental Mindoro; Province of Batanes; Province of Surigao Del Norte; Province of Isabela; Province of La Union; Province of South Cotabato; Province of Bukidnon; City of Legazpi, Albay; City of Tuguegarao, Cagayan; City of Himamaylan, Negros Occidental; City Government of Valenzuela, Metro Manila; City Government of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro; City Government of Quezon, Metro Manila; City of San Pablo, Laguna; City of Antipolo, Rizal; City of Laoag, Ilocos Norte; City of Borongan, Eastern Samar; City Government of Pasig, Metro Manila; City of Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat; City of Ilagan, Isabela; City of Kidapawan; City of Muntinlupa, Metro Manila; City of Isabela, Basilan; Municipality of San Fabian, Pangasinan; Municipality of Dumangas, Iloilo; Municipality of San Francisco, Agusan del Sur; Municipality of Bayabas; Municipality of Pura, Tarlac; Municipality of Bantay, Ilocos Sur; Municipality of Sagada; Municipality of Infanta, Quezon; Municipality of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro; Municipality of San Roque, Northern Samar; Municipality of Consolacion, Cebu; Municipality of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte; Municipality of Torrijos, Marinduque; Municipality of Pakil, Laguna; and, Municipality of Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur.
• Legislators from both chambers of Congress in the Philippines filed multiple versions of the FOI Bill.
• In the second quarter of 2019, the FOI-PMO conducted stakeholder consultations with civil society organizations (CSOs) and non-government organizations (NGOs) regarding the draft Administration Version of the FOI Bill.
• In the third quarter of 2019, the FOI-PMO consulted concerned government agencies on the draft Administration Version of the FOI Bill.
• On 15 July 2019, the FOI-PMO endorsed the Administration Version of the FOI Bill to the 18th Congress.
• On 21 August 2019, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles publicly announced the FOI Bill as one of the priority bills, as identified by the Participatory Governance Cluster (PGC).
• On June 2020, the PCOO requested the Office of the President to certify the FOI Bill as an urgent bill.
• The Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) declared that the FOI Bill is a legislative priority during the 3rd Legislative Liaison System – PGC meeting on February 2020.

What is the commitment?

To institutionalize the FOI program across all branches of government by Congress passing a legislation on access to information, which will mandate the disclosure of government information. In the interim, to sustain and further expand the reach of the FOI program, the PCOO will strengthen its efforts on implementing access to information at the local level.

How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?

The passage of a FOI Law is crucial for Filipino citizens to exercise their right to access government information. It empowers citizen participation in demanding for transparency and accountability from the government. The FOI Law will mandate all branches of the government, including the constitutional commissions, to operationalize the people’s right to information.

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?

The commitment aims to ensure transparency and accountability through access to government information.

Additional Information

• The passage of the FOI Law is aligned with the administration’s good governance agenda as translated in the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 under Chapter 5: Ensuring People-Centered, Clean, and Efficient Governance.
• Ensuring public access to information is under the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal Number 16, target 10.
• The FOI program is also a commitment to the Cabinet’s Participatory Governance Cluster Performance and Projects Roadmap for 2020-2022.

For 2020, the total approved budget is P34,163,000.00.

Commitment Description

Period: November 30, 2019 - August 31, 2022

Commitment Name: Fostering industrial peace through the proactive and inclusive engagement of workers and employers in the formulation and/or review of labor and employment policies

Program Name: Tripartism and Social Dialogue

Lead Implementing Agency and Organization: Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Public Services Labor Independent Confederation – National Public Workers’ Congress (PS LINK-PUBLIK)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?

Tripartism, as a social dialogue mechanism, is institutionalized as a venue where the government, the labor groups, and the employer sector can come together to discuss and resolve labor and employment issues and concerns. Currently, the Department of Labor and Employment has institutionalized the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (TIPC) and the Regional TIPCs in all regions, as well as national and local Industry Tripartite Councils in specific industries. However, labor representation in tripartite councils is traditionally comprised of formal labor. Ensuring inclusivity of these existing tripartite structures poses a great challenge in our efforts to formulate and implement effective and responsive strategies, programs and reforms. Broad-based consultations and engagements involving all sectors and stakeholders equate to stronger developmental framework and better policy legislation that incorporates and addresses all sectoral interests and concerns.

The world of work is constantly evolving with globalization, migration, green jobs, digitalization and other emerging technologies, which lead to non-standard work arrangements and specific workplace/industry concerns. In this context, it is necessary to ensure that all workers and industry players in all sectors of society be fully represented in all social dialogue mechanisms that are institutionalized in order to serve as a venue for consultation and collaboration, with the end in view of formulating and implementing holistic policy reforms and programs that would address all cross-cutting and industry/sectoral concerns and engender a climate of industrial peace anchored on social justice.

The maintenance of a stable but dynamic and just industrial peace, apart from being a State policy, is recognized as a fundamental requisite of national growth and development and thus has always been at the core of the government’s plans and programs.

What is the commitment?

Considered as key instrument in the attainment and maintenance of industrial peace, Tripartism in labor relations is declared a State policy. Towards this end, the Department shall ensure Tripartism and social dialogue, which entails that workers and employers are, as far as practicable, represented in decision and policy-making bodies of the government, particularly in the National and Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Councils.

The Department shall further ensure that representations in these tripartite councils are inclusive by reconstituting the tripartite councils and expanding labor representations in these councils to include most representative organizations in sectors of workers other than the formal labor. This is a deviation from the usual tripartite councils wherein labor representation is traditionally comprised of representatives of the formal labor. Through this commitment, the Department aims to have a more proactive engagement with the labor and employer sector, which signifies that their voices and inputs are heard and considered in the review of labor laws and other policies affecting their rights, duties, and welfare.

How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?

Inclusive and proactive participation of workers and employers in policy-making ensure that their concerns and inputs are being considered in the process, thereby promoting greater integration of objectives and circulation and processing of information. This would most likely result in more responsive policies that would truly address the needs and/or concerns of their respective sectors. Moreover, their participation in policy-making would also develop democratic ownership over policies, thus helping ensure acceptability and feasibility. It increases the possibility of the acceptance of outcomes and minimizes the possibilities for conflict

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?

The thrust of tripartism and social dialogue is to give workers and employers the opportunity to be heard and more importantly to give authority to their voices by ensuring that they are represented and deeply entrenched in policy and decision-making processes on labor and employment concerns. Through tripartism and social dialogue, DOLE is promoting transparency, fairness, participative governance and sectoral accountability, thus addressing social disparity while improving social cohesion among all stakeholders.

Commitment Description

Period: 01 October 2019 - 31 August 2022

Commitment Name: Working together to create a holistic and integrated approach to improving the lives of children and their families.

Program Name: People Powered Participatory Development

Lead Implementing Agency and Organization: Department of Social Welfare & Development (DSWD)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?

Malnutrition in the Philippines

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)-Philippines estimates that 95 Filipino children die from malnutrition every day. Twenty-seven out of 1,000 Filipino children do not get past five years old, and a third of the children population are stunted or short for their age.

Malnutrition covers two broad groups of conditions, which are: 1) undernutrition, which includes stunting, wasting (low weight for height or acute malnutrition), underweight (low weight for age), and micronutrient deficiencies; and 2) over-nutrition, which includes being overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases.

A key determinant of child health is nutrition/malnutrition. Trend data from the 2015 National Nutrition Survey (NNS) show that while childhood stunting and underweight prevalence in under-5 year olds have been declining slowly between 1989 and 2015 (albeit at very high levels of 30% and 23%, respectively), childhood wasting and overweight have been increasing over the same time period (but at much lower levels). However, data for 2013-2015 show statistically significant increases in childhood stunting and underweight indicators, with the prevalence of childhood stunting increasing from 30% to 33%, and underweight from 20% to 21%.

The World Health Organization (WHO) associates high levels of childhood stunting with a high risk of frequent and early exposure to illness and/or inappropriate feeding practices. Stunting is likely to result to reduced work capacity in adulthood, which affects economic productivity and other life outcomes. The 2015 NNS further reveals significant disparities in relation to childhood stunting rates along gender lines, geographical location, as well as household wealth. As of 2015, boys under the age of 5 were slightly more likely to be stunted (at 34.3 per cent) compared to girls (32.5 per cent). It appears that children living in rural areas are also more likely to be stunted (at 38.1 per cent) than those living in urban areas (28.3 per cent). The region with the highest level of childhood stunting was ARMM (45.2 per cent), while Central Luzon was found to be the region with the lowest level of stunting (23.1 per cent). Household income was found to be one of the most significant predictors of stunting prevalence. Nearly half of the number of children in the poorest households were found to be stunted.

Wasting or severe acute malnutrition is also an alarming concern, especially since the Philippines is a highly disaster-prone country and the risk of developing wasting increases during humanitarian emergencies. As of 2015, an estimated 7% of underage children are suffering from childhood wasting.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is on its 10th year of implementation as the flagship social protection program of the country. Pantawid focuses on human capital investment to combat intergenerational poverty in the long run. Cash grants given to beneficiaries are linked to conditionalities which aim to improve the health and education outcomes of poor families. Aside from the program cash incentives, household beneficiaries also receive an Unconditional Cash Transfer of P200 per month and a rice subsidy. Family Development Sessions (FDS), which are regular learning sessions that include topics on health and nutrition, are requisites for parents.

However, given the national nutrition profile, there seems to be considerable barriers in translating FDS knowledge and cash grants to positive nutrition outcomes. Results of the third wave impact evaluation study of the Pantawid Program in 2018 showed that more Pantawid children are underweight (higher by 6 percentage points) compared to non-Pantawid children. Negative impact on stunting and severe stunting was also observed where incidence rates among Pantawid children are higher by 6 and 5 percentage points, respectively, compared to non-Pantawid children. The results were surprising especially as participation in Pantawid is expected to improve nutritional outcomes of children. The result is also inconsistent with the first wave of impact evaluation that noted a 10-percentage point reduction in the prevalence of stunting in children beneficiaries, and needs to be investigated further.

The Fifth and Sixth Periodic Report of the Philippines for the Convention on the Rights of the Child attributes the malnutrition problem of infants and young children to the vicious cycle of undernutrition that are intertwined with the nutritional status of women of reproductive age, especially among adolescent girls, and pregnant women. The WHO cites that newborns born to adolescent mothers are at greater risk of having low birth weight, with long-term potential effects (Adolescent Pregnancy Fact Sheet, WHO, 2018). Generally, malnutrition becomes a women’s problem because women in the Philippines are still considered to be the primary caretakers of children. A malnourished child becomes more susceptible to diseases, which would require more care work from the mother as well as more resources from the family.

In addition, as deficits in the nutritional status of children increase their vulnerability to upper respiratory illnesses, it is no wonder that complications due to these ailments continue to be one of the leading causes of child deaths in the country. This has also occurred despite expenditures for the national Supplementary Feeding Program averaging P3.7 billion in the last five years.

Teenage Pregnancy in the Philippines

Equally important is the issue of teenage or early pregnancies. The government has called teen pregnancy a national social emergency, with an average of 530 teenagers getting pregnant daily, and 24 babies being born from adolescent mothers every hour. The Commission on Population and Development said that there is a 50% increase of pregnancies of the 10-14 age group since 2011, amounting to 2,000 cases. More alarming is that about 30-50 of these pregnancies are among 10-year olds, so that once a week, a ten-year-old is giving birth in the Philippines. While the over-all fertility rate of women in the Philippines had dropped from an average of three children to 2.7, teenage pregnancy remains high with one out of ten Filipino women aged 15-19 either pregnant or are already mothers. The 2017 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey shows that the top reason of females aged 6-24 years old for not attending school is marriage/family matters (37%). More young women from the bottom 30% of the population get pregnant compared to the top 70% of the income stratum. Teenage pregnancy is a health issue because adolescents’ reproductive systems are not yet fully mature, thus younger women are more likely to die from complications from pregnancy and childbirth than women in their 20s. According to WHO, they face higher risks of pregnancy-related infections and complications. Pregnancy-related complications include among others stunted development, maternal mortality, premature delivery and low birth weight. Young mothers are also found to be more nutritionally at risk. Further, they can have greater emotional, psychological and social needs than young adults aged 20-24 years. According to a study conducted in the Philippines, majority of teenage mothers fall below the poverty line. Most of them are also not prepared in raising children at a young age, the nutritional needs they should be getting as it is being passed on the child inside the womb, the medical support they need such as pre-natal care and being able to deliver in health facilities, and the emotional and physical support especially in times of hormonal changes and imbalance brought about by the pregnancy. These factors can affect the nutrition of a child.

As of November 2018, a total of 7,954,805 children were being monitored by Pantawid, 48% or 3,855,850 of whom are girls. Of the total number of monitored children, 1.1 million were not attending school (NAS), and 906,096 were tagged for case management, depending on their reason for not attending school. The top four reasons cited for not attending school were: 1) parents’ decision; 2) loss of interest in school; 3) work; and 4) early marriage/early pregnancy. For girls not attending school, the fourth reason given was early marriage/early pregnancy. There is a total of 76,724 validated cases of early marriage/early pregnancy among Pantawid youth (for both sexes).

This presents a setback in terms of households getting out of poverty, and is a risk for perpetuating inter-generational cycles of poverty.

What is the commitment?

The above emerging concerns within the context of the Pantawid Program have not been fully explored by researchers, and need further study. To do so, however, we need to have a better understanding of the context of the target families’ lived experiences.

• The commitment of the agency is the conduct of two Participatory Action Researches (PAR) in seven (7) target areas. PAR is an approach to research that emphasizes participation of community members in defining the problem, gathering and analyzing data, and arriving at solutions to the problem collectively. It is best for planning to emanate from the families themselves as only they know the situations they actually face and the options readily available to them. As they express how they choose from among available and potential options, solutions can be tailored to their specific needs and the capacities of the community to act on or absorb a program. The process of engaging the community and stakeholders through all the phases of PAR will be documented.
• Through the PAR, the community will be able to look deeply at the issues and address some of the identified factors impacting nutrition, in particular socio-cultural beliefs and perceptions which contribute to the problem of nutrition not being perceived as ‘urgent’ and issues related to accessing quality health facilities, such as transportation costs and unavailability of free medicines. While Municipal Nutrition Action Plans exist and are described as ‘comprehensive’, the participation and input of the community, especially of families who are in most need of assistance, in its crafting must be central and their involvement in the plans’ impact assessment and evaluation made more visible. Results of the research are also expected to be considered in the crafting of local policies on the focus areas.
• The first PAR will focus on the nutritional status of children in 4Ps families and will be led by 4Ps parent leaders and volunteers. The second PAR on the problem of teen-age pregnancies will be led by leaders and volunteers of 4Ps youth groups. In both researches, the program component of 4Ps—the Family Development Session and Youth Development Session—will be utilized to promote open conversation with beneficiaries, both adults and youth.
• In spearheading this conversation, DSWD will leverage its access to the families and children in 4Ps and other programs, as well as its role as head of the Cabinet Cluster on Human Development and Poverty Reduction and its network of NGO/CSO partners. The design and implementation of programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) are expected to be grounded on what its target beneficiaries want and need and delivered in a manner that responds holistically to the articulated needs. The approval and support of the local government units on the process and outputs will be solicited to facilitate integration in local development plans and sustainability of initiatives.
• Finally, the commitment hopes to ensure that the objectives and processes involved in the PPAs are understandable to the recipients themselves such that they become interested, undertake the required training, and enthusiastically participate in the accountability process that will be put in place to monitor and evaluate the value and impact of the PPAs.

How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?

• The inclusion of those who will be directly affected by policy initiatives should help refine the context within which problems are understood and approached to reveal issues that are otherwise overlooked, such as ‘invisible’ barriers that impede or limit demand and access to government services by those who most need them. Likewise, by allowing local and marginalized voices to be heard, people are empowered and hopefully encouraged to engage in the political process so that they are less isolated and able to share their public policy successes with other communities to become part of a virtuous cycle of active citizen engagement.

• The highest objective is to bring the results of these conversations to policy-makers and program managers at the highest levels so that they hear what the people for whom policies, programs, and projects are intended have to say. By enabling them to examine and articulate their own needs, the people that government say they serve will be able to influence how programs are designed and delivered so that these are contextualized and behavioral barriers normally not apparent to policy-makers are addressed.
• The weight and might of the whole of government is brought to bear on the protection of children and the corollary need to support their families. This is the convergence approach referred to in the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 that requires the implementation of a multi-sectoral roadmap for children to “build an enabling environment that respects, protects, and fulfils the rights of all children in the country . . . [in order for them to] attain their full potentials as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).”

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?

• Transparency. The process of public consultation itself will require the disclosure of information to the public.
• Participation. The monthly family assemblies of 4Ps beneficiaries have mainly been structured for government to send information down to the beneficiaries of the program. This proposal changes that direction so that information starts flowing to and from each party with both sides listening to and learning from each other. Civic participation is promoted and expanded as meeting facilitators will be selected from members of beneficiary-families themselves who will be trained in participatory research skills and provided with negotiation and higher-level communication skills.
• Measurement & evaluation. The PPAs that will result from the public consultations will be embedded accountability mechanisms of the program even as the public conversation on the PPAs’ impact and implementation continue.
• Technology will be used to speed up the consolidation of the comments and recommendations coming from disparate locations immediately after each of the simultaneous consultations. The primary innovation that will be adopted is the 20th Century Town Hall meeting format in the family assemblies to encourage their participation in the public consultation process.

Additional Information:

• https://pantawid.dswd.gov.ph
• http://pdp.neda.gov.ph
• http://2040.neda.gov.ph
• http://www.neda.gov.ph/pdp-results-matrices/2017-2022/ h
• https://senate.gov.ph/lisdata/75556097!.pdf
• http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2015/02/beijing-synthesis-report
• The Rapid Qualitative Assessment of the Impact of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Programs on Nutrition Outcomes in Beneficiary Households in Selected Municipalities. 14 May 2019. Economic Policy Research Institute, Massachusetts, United States of America. UNICEF.
• https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1471-0528.13782
• World Health Organization. Fact Sheet on Adolescent Pregnancy. 2018

Commitment Description

Period: November 30, 2019 - August 31, 2022

Commitment Name: Ensuring IP Mandatory Representation in Local Legislative Councils and Policy Making Bodies

Program Name: Strategic Communication Advocacy on the Revised Guidelines for IP Mandatory Representation

Lead Implementing Agency and Organization: National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?

Section 16 of RA 8371 provides that the Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) have the right to participate fully, if they so choose, at all levels of decision-making in matters which may affect their rights, lives and destinies through procedures determined by them as well as to maintain and develop their own indigenous political structures. Consequently, the State shall ensure that the ICCs/IPs shall be given mandatory representation in policy-making bodies and other local legislative councils.

Currently, there are 4,294 IPMRs in the country with the following breakdown

• City – 30
• Province-32
• Municipality-380
• Barangay 3,852

In the consultations conducted by NCIP during the 2016 Indigenous Peoples Conferences with almost 2,000 IP leaders from all over the country in attendance and additional Open Government Partnership (OGP) consultations, the following are specific gaps in the status quo identified:

Non-acceptance by local government units of selected IPMR and pushback from politicians and other stakeholders. IP groups expressed that the process of selecting the Indigenous People Mandatory Representative (IPMR) is politicized Tribal leaders aspire to represent the IPs in the Sanggunian and other local bodies. The tribal communities endorse the aspiring tribal leaders as IPMRs. However, the endorsement is not honored and these IP representatives are not recognized by local bodies. Thus, there is a need for multi-sectoral involvement to ensure a political representation.

Since its enactment in 1997 and the subsequent enabling issuances, the information gap between these issuances and the IP communities as well as other stakeholders all over the country is formidable to the point that many do not even know that the IPRA exists. There is a need to strengthen the roll-out of Revised IPMR Guidelines through all Ancestral Domains;

IP groups also raised that there are specific provisions in the IPMR guidelines that are problematic and may need to be revisited. There is a need for NCIP to document these concerns raised on the guidelines and actions taken by NCIP to address these concerns. If actions taken by NCIP involves crafting of new policies or guidelines, it should go through free and prior informed consent (FPIC) process.

What is the commitment?

The NCIP, in partnership with local IP groups, commit to ensure implementation of the policy on the IP Mandated representation in local legislative and policy-making bodies by providing guidelines and opening up more platforms to receive feedback, and facilitate reporting of current IP sector situation and government response to issues raised and concerning the IP sector.

How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?

This commitment will help ensure that government agencies, the IP communities, local government units, will be made aware of the rights of the Indigenous Peoples to representation so that non-acceptance of IPMRs by local units and other policy-making bodies will be lessened. Secondly or most importantly, the IP communities will realize that under the law, protection for them exists and understanding of the same will lead further to their empowerment.

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?

This commitment runs the whole gamut of the defined values of the OGP such that the actualization of this will have implications as far as the following are concerned:

1. On civic participation – the target is the Indigenous Peoples vulnerable sectors which at present by virtue of their limited knowledge of their rights have difficulty asserting themselves, especially on matters that involve community exploitation. This project will raise awareness on their part to better prepare them in asserting those rights provided by law.
2. Access to information – the information and advocacy campaign will broaden the base of those who will be made aware of what they have under the law through the distribution or presentation of materials that pertains to these rights.
3. The specific guidelines that is the main purpose of the campaign will help our IP communities identify the processes and the accountable persons vis-à-vis the process of selection for their IP mandatory representative
4. Technology and innovation for openness and accountability – the campaign will not be limited to face-to-face engagement but rather include online options of interaction andmulti-media approaches to education

Specifically, we can open information that has to do with cases involving or about IP representatives such that status of cases and disposition will be accessed.

Additional Information:

This advocacy program encompasses all NCIP IP mandatory selection processes and information, education campaigns as regularly provided under the national appropriations.

This will also facilitate engagement with the Department of Interior and Local Government which will be its major partner as far as IP representatives in local legislative councils are concerned.

Commitment Description

Period: November 30, 2019 - August 31, 2022

Commitment Name: Stakeholders engagement in harnessing the value of PhilGEPS data

Program Name: Stakeholders engagement in harnessing the value of PhilGEPS data

Lead Implementing Agency and Organization: Procurement Service- Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PS-PHILGEPS), Commission on Audit (COA), and Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?

Transparency in the procurement and implementation of public contracts alongside competitiveness, public monitoring, accountability, and streamlined procurement processes are the principles enshrined in the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA) or Republic Act 9184. It posits that transparency of public procurement information is a deterrent to corruption thereby mandating all procuring entities to publish bid opportunities and post awards and contracts in the electronic government portal.

However, inefficiencies in the procurement process continue to exist. This has resulted in corruption, leakages and wastage of government funds that negatively affect the delivery of public services to the Filipino people. This is evident in the 2018 Corruption Perception Index wherein the Philippines ranked 99 across 180 countries.

While some public procurement data is published online by PhilGEPS and other procuring entities, stakeholders cannot fully engage with the data given that: (1) PhilGEPS does not provide information on procurement planning and contract implementation; (2) procurement data uploaded by procuring entities are incomplete making it difficult to track contracts from planning to implementation; (3) not all data is published using open data standards, (4) there is limited awareness of PhilGEPS data on the Philippines Open Data Portal; and (5) most civil society organizations and other stakeholders lack the capacity to analyze and transform data to be used as evidence for policy and practice recommendations.

Moreover, The Commission on Audit (COA), as one of the major users of procurement data for its audit activities, needs a data-source that is facilitative and comprehensive.

What is the commitment?

The PS-PhilGEPS commits to work with civil society and government stakeholders to identify contracting data that will be subjected to mandatory publication using machine-readable formats. In doing so, PS-PhilGEPS will ensure that its modernized system will utilize Open Contracting Data Standards (OCDS) in publishing data embedded in the Annual Procurement Plan, Purchase Request, Bid Notice, Award Notice, E-Bidding, Contract Management, aside from those initially identified by the stakeholders. With policy support from the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB), publication of procurement data by government procuring entities will be required. This will enable public monitoring and audit of public procurement in order to improve the contracting process and enhance public service delivery.

In doing so, the PS-PhilGEPS will establish a team that will engage civil society organizations, media, the private sector, and other government agencies to jointly identify priorities to help the government build public trust through open contracting.

Together with the Government Procurement Policy Board - Technical Support Office (GPPB-TSO), contracting information will be used to update procurement policies and the possible improvement of Government Procurement Reform Act’s Implementing Rules and Regulations.

Together with the civil society and the private sector, PS-PhilGEPS will create opportunities to improve the data literacy of both civil and government stakeholders in appreciating, using and analyzing contracting data to be used for monitoring procurement projects and as evidence for policy and practice recommendations in order to build public trust and integrity.

The COA on the other hand, commits to collaborate with the PhilGEPS in the identification of data needed as one of the bases for determining the data to be published, in the training of auditors of procuring entities and citizen-partners/auditors in the context of the Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA) initiative, and the utilization of procurement data from the PhilGEPS in conducting audits for specific audit objectives.

How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?

This commitment will make disclosure of contracting information from planning up to implementation in a timely, accessible and usable manner. It will allow civil society organizations, media and the public in general to analyze and monitor government contracts providing them better means to provide feedback and participate in government decision-making. It will promote a fairer marketplace and level playing fields for merchants resulting to more competitive bids and better quality of goods and services. It will help government agencies to analyze and identify areas to improve their processes. It will help prevent fraud, collusion and corruption, which will build the public trust and integrity of the government procurement process, the civil servants and the government institutions.

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?

This commitment features all the OGP values of transparency, accountability, participation, and technology and innovation in its design and implementation.

Transparency and Access to Information – It promotes the disclosure of contracting information from planning to implementation stage in a timely, accessible and usable manner.

Public Accountability – It will promote a fair marketplace for businesses allowing small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to participate on a level playing field resulting to bids that are more competitive and better quality of goods and services. It will help government agencies to analyze and identify areas to improve their processes. It will help prevent fraud, collusion and corruption, which will build the public trust and integrity of the government procurement process, the civil servants and the government institutions. It will facilitate the conduct of public audits of procurement activities as a budget accountability mechanism.

Civic Participation – It will allow civil society organizations, media and the public in general to analyze and monitor government contracts providing them better means to provide feedback and participate in government decision-making. It will enable citizen-partners/auditors, particularly students under the CPA Student Internship Program, to be involved in public audit activities using the PhilGEPS and inculcate in them the bayanihan spirit that is part of Filipino Values.

Technology and Innovation for Openness and Accountability– It will publish contracting data in machine-readable and structured format that will make information accessible, shareable and reusable.

Inclusion – This can provide data and information on how government can introduce procurement policies that can encourage women-led companies; cooperatives; and organizations that employ persons with disabilities.

Additional Information:

The facility to publish structured open data on each contracting process according to OCDS was included on the requirement of the Modernized PhilGEPS.