Building on the gains and anchored on the continuing effort of promoting transparent accountable governance, Balay Mindanaw took the challenge in implementing a pilot project particularly focused on local fiscal management. Originally, the project is supposed to be led by the Mindanao Coalition of Development NGOs (MINCODE) who was also the major partner institution in the implementation of Transparent Accountable Governance (TAG) Project 2 and 3 with The Asia Foundation (TAF). Balay Mindanaw is a MINCODE member through Mindanao Congress of Development NGOs and Non-Government Individuals (MINCON) and acts as Secretary-General and Secretariat.
After many rounds of consultation, TAF requested Balay Mindanaw to lead in the implementation of the project. BMFI agreed and informed TAF that while the implementation will be led directly by BMFI, this will still be considered a coalition project under MINCODE’s Governance Commission where MINCON is the lead network.
With Balay Mindanaw’s extensive experience on local governance, the initiative was seen as an important factor that would enhance our community-based local governance work, particularly in linking development planning to budgeting. It has also been Balay Mindanaw’s nature to constantly evolve as an organization, depending on the needs and call of time, and fiscal management is definitely one area seen as important that would add to our wealth of experience. And although the initiative was already conceptualized even before the new Aquino administration, PNoy’s commitment to good governance also presents a timely opportunity to move forward concrete counter-corruption reform both at the national and local levels. This is also reinforced with Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse M. Robredo’s policy on Full Disclosure, which requires the Local Government Units (LGUs) to fully disclose financial transactions.
The BTTAG initiative in partnership with The Asia Foundation with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), involving 20 Local Government Units (LGUs) and 17 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) throughout Mindanao gives focus on the need to participate in the budget planning, monitoring of the spending and accounting of the appropriated funds. It recognizes the effort of the LGUs and CSOs in conducting Budget Formulation, Spending and Accounting, and Analysis (BFSA) transparent and accountable to the people. They would serve as icons and models of transparent and accountable local budget planning and management.