Puerto Princesa, Palawan—The Department of Social Welfare and Development conducted the Bottom-up Budgeting (BUB) Implementation Support Mission on February 17-20, 2016 in the different municipalities of Palawan.

The event generated discussions regarding the good practices and the constraints and difficulties affecting the implementation of BUB projects. It also initiated the agreement on the implementation timetable and the support needed to accelerate program implementation.

Attending participants were divided into groups that visited projects in different municipalities in Palawan. Staff of the three programs of the department implementing BUB projects, namely, Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS), Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and Protective Services Bureau (PSB) with Municipal and Provincial Action Team (MAT and PAT) leaders visited their respective projects and conducted focus group discussions (FGD).

Ms. Bernadette Mapue, Social Welfare Officer IV of the Operations and Programs Group-Promotive Programs, on behalf of Undersecretary Camilo Gudmalin, visited Kalahi-CIDSS implemented BUB projects in the municipalities of Narra and Quezon, Palawan, together with and representatives from the DSWD Central Office. Kalahi-CIDSS implemented BuB projects in Narra and Quezon. The SLP group were in Brooke’s Point while the PSB visited projects in Puerto Princesa City.

Volunteers of of Narra (top) and Quezon (bottom), Palawan sharing their experiences and the challenges they overcame during the FGD

On the last day of the event, the participants gathered to share the information they gathered during the FGDs regarding the challenges faced by the stakeholders, their observations and recommendations in the implementation of the BUB projects.

BUB is a project that is designed to make the planning and budgeting process more participatory, strengthen the convergence of the delivery of national services in the community and provide a balance in the identification of priorities

Deputy National Program Manager of SLP, Cathy Racho wraped-up the event and offered an inspiring message to all the participants. “Ang pagbabago nagssisimula sa ating lahat, kaya magsama-sama tayo tungo sa pagbabago,” she said.