This paper is a narrative account and assessment of the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (GPB) process in three municipalities of the Negros Province, namely, Sagay City, Hinigaran and Cauayan. The GPB process was implemented with the objective of empowering civil society organizations to...

The Aquino administration through the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster (HDPRC) and Good Governance and Anti-Corruption Cluster (GGACC) launched the Bottom up Budgeting (BUB) exercise in 2012. The strategy hopes to empower civil society organizations and citizens' groups to engage...

When the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program was designed, the government publicly promised to limit to five years the giving of the education and health grants. This five-year limit is almost over for the first set of beneficiaries by 2013. The natural policy question then is: Would it be wise...

To attain a perceived acceptable quality of life, the mining industry plays a crucial role as the demand for minerals and energy increases while ore quality decreases. On the other hand, the social and environmental footprints which mining companies leave behind are deemed unacceptable by the...

While the national average for maternal and child health services utilization shows improvement, the Philippines is yet to achieve the MDG targets for maternal and child health. This study shows inequality in maternal and child health services utilization across economic classes and across...

In 2006, poverty incidence in the Philippines went up by 3 percentage points from 2003, marking a reversal against the downward trend in previous poverty estimates. This upward trend went against expectations after the Philippine economy exhibited a relatively robust performance during this...

Directing government subsidies to social services such as health care is expected to bring about positive external/social benefits and improve equity in access to health services. In general, government spending on health is envisioned to improve the well-being of beneficiaries and enhance their...

Bottom-up Budgeting (BUB) is an adaptation of the participatory budgeting model in identifying and providing solutions to poverty at the municipal/city level. Leaders of civil society organizations engage with LGU officials in formulating a poverty alleviation plan to be considered in preparing...