People’s participation in allotting public funds

EDITORIAL

A proposed law that would allow civil society organizations to actively participate in budget hearings and deliberations in Congress and in national government agencies is a welcome development.

Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” R. Tañada III, who authored the measure, is now pushing passage of the “People’s Participation Bill” or House Bill 3773, co-authored by eight other congressmen, that “will allow CSOs to participate and play a significant role in annual budget deliberations of Congress and NGAs upon accreditation.”

Tañada said HB 3773 has been introduced following the provision in Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution that “the State respects the right to pursue and protect ‘within the democratic framework, their (people’s) legitimate and collective interests and aspirations through peaceful means’ and in pursuit of the State’s recognition of the role of independent civil society organizations as effective participants in all levels of social, political, and economic decision-making. “

“The bill affirms the Constitutional provisions for transparency and our people’s right to participate in governance affairs,” Tañada said.

Tañada also noted that under the bill, “non-government organizations refer to independent and non-profit organizations formed primarily for social and economic development whose officers and members are not elective officials nor should they be related to the same.”

According to Tanada, “The bill does not intend to undermine the vested right of elective officials with regard to governance affairs but mainly ensures the right of the people to participate in all levels of government instrumentalities.”

Tañada said the bill’s sponsors acknowledge that “currently, there are a lot of openings for people’s participation in governance provided by the Budget and Interior and Local Governments departments.”

“But there is still a need to institutionalize transparency and informed people’s participation in governance. For without such a culture, there is no guarantee that the same level of transparency currently being enjoyed would be allowed by successor-heads of the various NGAs.”