Poverty reduction plans now required of LGUs seeking financial aid

NAAWAN, Misamis Oriental, Philippines—Local government units would not be able to access or receive financial assistance in 2014 for their proposed projects to national agencies if they fail to submit an action plan on poverty reduction, an official of the National Anti-Poverty Commission said here on Friday.

Jocelyn Apag, Napc senior technical officer, told town executives during the Municipal Civil Society and Basic Sector Organization Assembly here that a local poverty reduction action plan has been required of any LGU seeking funding in 2014 for their proposed projects.

This, she said, is in line with the Aquino administration’s campaign against corruption and to ensure that development programs would really be felt by the grassroots.

Apag said LGUs have only until February 15 this year to submit their respective action plans to the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

She said NAPC has committed to help LGUs map out their plans.

“Our role in NAPC is to ensure that the bottoms up planning and budgeting of priority projects by LGUs–with genuine participatory process–would be undertaken. It should help the poverty reduction program of the government,” Apag said.

She said LGUs that fail to submit action plans on poverty reduction would not get their share from the national budget next year.

Apag said the Department of Budget and Management would also not release funds to any noncompliant LGU.

Janetherlyn Labadan, Naawan local government operations officer, said the process of preparing the action plan would also involve civil society groups.

She said for this town, at least 18 representatives from civil society groups would sit in the Local Poverty Reduction Action Team to draft the local action plan.

“The idea of development is not a monopoly of the government as there are more brilliant ideas from the people and the civil society,” Naawan Mayor Jaime Roa agreed.