mimap special issue-revised-0215-A3.pmd

2020202020CBMS Network Updates

Special Issue, December 2004

among CBMS local partners andvarious stakeholders, a nationalconference on community-basedmonitoring system (CBMS) wasorganized by the CBMS NetworkCoordinating Team of the AngeloKing Institute for Economic andBusiness Studies (AKI) on Septem-ber 23-24, 2004 at the Dusit HotelNikko, Makati City, Philippines.

The two-day conferencefeatured recent developments onthe use of community-based and

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local monitoring systems for deve-lopment planning, and poverty andprogram impact monitoring in thecountry. The first day provided apolicy forum for national and localchief executives while the secondday focused on technical discussionson the applications of CBMS.

Among the principal guestspeakers were Department of SocialWelfare and Development (DSWD)Undersecretary for Programs andPolicy Lourdes Balanon, GovernorJoel Reyes of Palawan, MayorWinifredo Oco of Labo, Camarines

Norte, and Mayor WenceslaoTrinidad of Pasay City, Metro Manila.

The conference was attendedby at least 100 delegates from thelocal and national governmentagencies; research and academiccommunity and various inter-national organizations.

This special issue of the CBMSNetwork Updates features thehighlights of the conference.

n order to provide a forum forthe sharing of experiencesIIIII

Investing in Information in thePhilippines 2

Making Democracy Work and PeopleEmpowerment Real Through the CBMS 4

The CBMS Use for Local Governance:From a Provincial Perspective 5

The CBMS Use for Local Governance:From a Municipal Level Perspective 7

Lessons Learned from CBMS LocalPartners: Palawan 9

Lessons Learned from CBMS LocalPartners: Camarines Norte 12

Comments from National GovernmentAgencies 14

Views from New CBMS Partners 16

Program of the Conference 18

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

INSIDEINSIDEINSIDEINSIDEINSIDE

Special IssueSpecial IssueSpecial IssueSpecial IssueSpecial IssueDecember 2004December 2004December 2004December 2004December 2004Community-Based Monitoring SystemCommunity-Based Monitoring SystemCommunity-Based Monitoring SystemCommunity-Based Monitoring SystemCommunity-Based Monitoring System

CBMSNetworkUpdates

aiting for something,”reads the sign above the

strategies and policies, says Dr. Reyes.While poverty reduc-tion targets wereset for the first time in the 1987-1992develop-ment plan and successivegovernments made povertyreduction a central part of theirplatforms, “the practice ofdiscontinuing programs associatedwith previous administrations hasbeen disadvantageous to the poor.”Even before a program is fullyimplemented, it is scrapped andreplaced with a new one, only tosuffer the same fate a few years hence.

Programs have also suffered from alack of timely, accurate informationon the nature and extent of povertyas well as of the means to monitorthe effectiveness of povertyreduction programs. “We wouldknow the impact of policies andprograms only after three or fouryears,” Dr. Ponciano Intal, ExecutiveDirector of the Angelo KingInstitute at De La Salle University,explained at the first NationalConference on Community-BasedPoverty Monitoring System (CBMS),held in Manila on September 23-24,2004. In fact, data on poverty wereirregular, infrequent, and un-matched from survey to survey. Thus,no comprehensive profile could bedrawn at any time. The data were alsotoo aggregated to be of much use tolocal planners.

The CBMS was born out of thatfrustration. One of the toolsdeveloped in the early 1990s underthe International DevelopmentResearch Centre (IDRC)’s MicroImpact of Macroeconomic Adjust-ment Policies (MIMAP)-PhilippinesProject, it aims to provide policy-makers and program implementorswith a good information base fortracking the impacts of macroeco-nomic reforms and various policyshocks. Although initially designedto be implemented in sentinel sites,today CBMS is being implementedprovince-wide in Palawan, in 7municipalities in Camarines Norteand, more recently, in the province ofBulacan and in Mandaue City in Cebuand Pasay City in Metro Manila. InApril 2003, the Philippine Depart-ment of the Interior and LocalGovernment enjoined all localgovernment units – at the barangay,municipal, city, and provincial levels– to adopt the system’s 13 coreindicators for measuring poverty. Fromits first home in the Philippines,CBMS has also now spread, with IDRCsupport, to 12 countries.

The National Conferencebrought together 120 local, regio-nal, and national government offi-cials, researchers, and developmentworkers to share their experiencesin implementing CBMS and dis-cuss its impact. “The many localgovernment unit representatives atthe conference is significant,” saidconference moderator, AttorneyRicardo Puno Jr, member of theBoard of Trustees of the Angelo KingInstitute, “because if anyone shouldbe concerned about local popula-tions, it’s you. And if the country isto be developed, it will be becauseof local people and communities.”

Indeed, if the original audience forCBMS data was intended to benational policymakers, it has proven

“Wsmall waiting shed on the side of thedusty road that cuts through a ruralbarangay in the municipality ofCoron on Busuanga Island in thePhilippine Province of Palawan.“Waiting for nothing,” reads anothera kilometer or so down the road.

These two signs may welldescribe the feelings of manyPalaweños, indeed of many Filipinos.Optimism, because of the nationalgovernment’s commitment since thelate 1980s to reduce poverty.Pessimism because, as Dr. Celia Reyes,Poverty and Economic Policy (PEP)-Co Director and CBMS NetworkLeader based at the Angelo KingInstitute for Economic and BusinessStudies (AKI) in Manila, says, “theperformance of the Philippines withrespect to poverty reduction has beenvery modest. While the incidence ofpoverty has declined over the past 15years, the number of poor has actuallyincreased.”

The Philippines’ lacklusterperformance in reducing poverty ispartly due to the boom-bust cycle ofthe country’s economy. It is also dueto the country’s poverty reduction

*Chief, Writing and Translation International Development Research Centre

by Michelle Hibler*by Michelle Hibler*by Michelle Hibler*by Michelle Hibler*by Michelle Hibler*

22222CBMS Network UpdatesSpecial Issue, December 2004

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to be an extremely useful tool forlocal governance, particularly asdecentralization has shiftedresponsibilities to local governmentunits. “CBMS gives you informationabout where you are now, where youshould be, and how you’re going toget there,” said the Honorable JoelReyes, Governor of Palawan and astaunch CBMS supporter. “Itprovides reliable, relevant andcomprehensive data on the welfareconditions and development statusacross the province.”

The use of such data forevidence-based decision makingemerged clearly in the conferencepresentations. For instance, inPalawan’s capital, Puerto Princesa,three areas were found to lack accessto health centers. These will beconstructed in the coming year.Proof of inadequate access to safewater supplies and electricity has ledto programs to extend these servicesin many barangays, such as Oring-Oring in Southern Palawan, whereCBMS data identified a number ofproblems, among them poverty,poor sanitation, lack of access toelectricity, low school participation,and low participation in communityorganizations. As a result, saidBarangay Captain Ibrahim Palam-pisi, a feeder road is being built toenable farmers to get their produceto markets, and 50 homes wereprovided connections to electricity/power. Increased water supplies,public toilets, new classrooms, anda day care center have also beenprovided. In another barangay, theCBMS survey carried out two yearsago has resulted in emphasis beingshifted from infrastructure projectsto social services such as a childfeeding program.

The profiles of municipalitiesthat emerge from the analysis of CBMSdata also enable programs to be targetedto individual households—which oneswill receive agricultural inputs such asseeds and fertilizers, which ones will

get sanitary toilets, which will receivesubsidized health care or educationalaid. As Serafin Blanco, Administratorof Mandaue City, Cebu Province, putit, it’s a means for “development toassume a face and an address.”

Using a Geographic InformationSystem, maps can be produced thatclearly show households and facilities.For instance, in the municipality ofLabo — the first municipality in theprovince of Camarines Norte toimplement CBMS — the mapsshowing the location of students andthe city’s 10 schools provided one clueto low school attendance. And, saidMayor Winifredo Balce Oco, when theresults were presented to thecommunity for validation, otherreasons emerged. “A number of thesechildren are expected to be econo-mically productive to help theirfamilies,” he said. “Some householdsdo not have enough money to paythe tuition and more so, provide forthe day-to-day expenses of thechildren.” To address this problem,financial assistance and schoolsupplies are now being provided toindigent house-holds, he said.

Community participation is key to thesuccess of CBMS. Informed from theoutset about the survey’s objectives anduses, the community also providesenumerators—barangay workers,health workers, students, etc.—anddata processors. Information iscollected from every household andthe data are tallied and consolidatedmanually at the village level. Municipalaggregates are submitted to theprovince for consolidation.

The processed data arereturned to the community forvalidation and discussion. Thisempowers communities by provi-ding them with information and aprocess through which they canactively participate in planning, saidDr. Reyes. Barangay residents thus

develop a keen sense of theirpriorities and are better able toarticulate their needs to cityplanning officers. Armed with hardinformation on their condition, theyare able to play a direct role inallocating budgetary resources. Andthey can demand accountability andtransparency on the part of govern-ment officials. Sometimes, commu-nity members discover that thesolution lies in their own hands. InBarangay Oring-Oring, for instance,a local organization and a business-man each donated public toilets tohelp solve the sanitation problem intwo most seriously deprived commu-nities. The households that sharethe toilets maintain them.

If CBMS is spreading rapidlyin the Philippines, the challengesof ensuring continuity and ofinstitutionalization remain. Butthe commitment of conferenceparticipants to pursuing and promo-ting the system is encouraging. “Inmy term, I will make it a law in theprovince of Palawan,” said GovernorReyes. Mayor Peewee Trinidad ofPasay City, Mayor Gerardo Calderonof Angono in Rizal province, andmany others also pledged toimplement and support CBMS intheir municipalities and barangays.

The next steps are to scale upand ensure that national statisticalagencies coordinate the generationof data. This would enable CBMS togo nationwide, said Dr. Reyes. Alsoneeded is technical assistance tolocal government units and a centralrepository for the data. And asCarmelita Ericta, administrator of theNational Statistics Office, pointed,out, all government units need is torecognize that information gatheringis not a cost; rather, it is aninvestment. ❋



FOR AND BY THE COMMUNITYFOR AND BY THE COMMUNITYFOR AND BY THE COMMUNITYFOR AND BY THE COMMUNITYFOR AND BY THE COMMUNITY

Democracy is often an overusedword, bandied about in

speeches, rallies, and politicalmessages that the word has acquiredan almost permanent patina ofvagueness. What does democracy meanto the common man, for instance, whenhe cannot eat three square meals a daynor support his children to school?What does democracy mean to himwhen he is jobless and hungry? Thecommon lament that people have aboutgovernment is that they often do notknow what is going on and worse, theydo not know where their hard-earnedmoney or taxes are going. How does onethen make democracy palpable andreal? How can it become a living, andnot merely rhetorical, concept?

This is where the concept of peopleinvolvement comes in. If people, forexample, are involved, especially at thecommunity level, in a system where theythemselves collect, process and use data,and which monitors the conditions ofthe vulnerable groups in a given area,then governance can be more empo-wering and democratic. This is what thecommunity-based monitoring system orCBMS tries to address. The CBMS wasdeveloped to aid in poverty reductionby providing an up-to-date picture of thepoverty situation of vulnerable groupsthrough the frequent collection of well-designed but relatively simple sets ofindicators. It also involves the partici-pation of communities in the collectionand use of data/indicators, enabling it(CBMS) to be a low-cost, easy-to-main-tain system. As such, it provides ananswer and practical alternative tohaving large and costly surveys fromwhere standard poverty monitoringsystems are usually drawn. Moreover, be-cause the CBMS data are collected on aregular basis with definite referenceperiods, the CBMS is able to give acomprehensive profile of various socialdemographic groups of interest atspecific points in time.

For provincial, city and municipalplanners, the CBMS equips them withcrucial information that guide theirdecisions and with data that are used toensure the delivery of services where theyare needed most. Local capacities are alsoenhanced along with gender equity. Crisisimpacts are likewise detected earlier. If onetakes this step further, the CBMS can alsobe used to ensure that projects being imple-mented are constructed and finishedwithin standards. In this regard, the daysof ghost projects, substandard materialsand shoddy workmanship may benumbered because more people areinvolved in the process of monitoring andchecking.

In the next two days of this conference,the best practices and experiences ofCBMS will be shared by practitioners.The transformative powers of institutingprocesses that are truly community-basedwill be shown to us. We will see howCBMS can be used as an empoweringtool that equips people with the wea-pons to fight poverty more scientificallyand efficiently. Being scientific, however,does not mean that it is less human. Thehuman side is never taken for grantedbecause it is inherently participatory innature and intended to serve the poorestof the poor.

In sharing experiences and techno-logies, we shall be faced by many

challenges, one of which is how to spreadand replicate best practices. How do weconvince hesitant local government unitswho want to stay within the comfort zoneof status quo and traditional politics? Howdo we convince stakeholders to take upthe cause of development? This is wherethe crucial elements of leadership comein. There are hundreds and thousandsof these people who are willing to lay theirlives on the line for the greater good.Unfortunately, what often gets recognizedare those from the flip side of the coin.We choose to harp on the negative insteadof highlighting the positive. There arechange agents out there who areorchestrating synergy among varioussectors, bridging divides and reaching outto the most disadvantaged. The networkof the CBMS has the potential to be sucha change agent by providing planners andimplementers with the means to properlyplan, prioritize and choose higher impactprojects. The network has the potentialto harness resources previouslyunderutilized and spur growth from thegrassroots. May the next two days ofexchanging experiences and ideastherefore lead to realizing our commonobjective of improving the lives ofimpoverished Filipinos. And may we seethe fruits of the two days not ending insimply speaking but in getting translatedinto effective action. ❋

* An edited and recast version of the keynoteaddress of Secretary Soliman. The speechwas delivered by DSWD Undersecretary forPrograms and Policy, Hon. Lourdes Balanon.

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in January 2000 was marked with a CBMSforum attended by local chief executivesand Municipal Planning and Develop-ment Coordinators (MPDOs).

The implementat ion of CBMSinvolves organizations and partici-pants in the local developmentarena such as barangay/community

level, municipal, and provincial level.In the first quarter of 2000, trainings and briefings

on the concept and use of the CBMS were conductedby the MIMAP-Philippines Team. The surveys thenfollowed between March and September of the sameyear with the results then consolidated and validated atthe PPDO and in the communities. Later, they werepresented during the provincial development councilin September 2000.

What are the benefits drawn from the CBMS? And howhave they benefited Palawan?

First, the CBMS provides reliable, relevant andcomprehensive data on welfare conditions anddevelopment status across the province from thebarangays to the municipalities.

Through the CBMS, the provincial governmentwas able to measure the human development index(HDI) as it relates to the Palawan experience.

Second, it gives direction and guidance incrafting our development agenda. Guided by this agen-da, we saw the need to restructure and streamline theorganizational set-up of the provincial government.

Third, the CBMS has enhanced recognition andcredibility of local governance and political leadership.Before the DILG recognized the CBMS as a local initiativefor development and poverty monitoring at the nationallevel, the CBMS was already being used as a povertymonitoring tool in the province.

* An edited and recast version of the Palawan Governor’s presentationmade during the conference.

** Governor, Province of Palawan, Philippines and Vice-President forLuzon of the League of Provinces of the Philippines.

ment the community-based monito-ring system (CBSM) province wide.As such, it is only fitting and an honorto share the experience of Palawanin its use and implementation of theCBMS; the benefits derived from it;the help that the CBMS has providedthe provincial government in itsappraisal of the province’s humandevelopment index; the main

COUNTING THE BENEFITSCOUNTING THE BENEFITSCOUNTING THE BENEFITSCOUNTING THE BENEFITSCOUNTING THE BENEFITS

Palawan is the first province inthe Philippines to imple-

strategies adopted and the lessons gained after five years ofCBMS implementation in the Province.

Partly based on a challenge I posed to our ProvincialPlanning and Development Office (PPDO), in March1999, the late Governor Salvador Socrates entered intoan agreement with the Policy and DevelopmentFoundation Inc. through the MIMAP-Philippines (nowthe CBMS Network) for the implementation of theCBMS in Palawan. In September 1999, the CBMS-Palawan Technical Working Group was created andcomposed of staff from the MIMAP-Philippines ledby its Project Director, Dr. Celia M. Reyes; the PPDOled by Mr. Nelson Devenadera, and Mr. Dirk Heinrichs,who was then connected with the provincial govern-ment through the integrated expert program of theCenter of Inter-national Migration and Development(CIM).

Two months later, the CBMS was piloted in 2barangays in the Municipality of Taytay in the North inorder to test and validate our survey methodology andinstruments. The province wide implementation of theproject was formally launched the following year throughExecutive Order No. 15. Full implementation of the project

THE BEGINNINGTHE BEGINNINGTHE BEGINNINGTHE BEGINNINGTHE BEGINNING

awalan is the first province inthe Philippines to implement

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Fourth, it guides LGU and project implementorsin setting project targets. Because the CBMS providesinputs in identifying the right project location, the rightproject beneficiaries and the type of intervention schemeneeded most in a specific area are likewise identified.

Fifth, the CBMS monitors development trends.It shows the degree to which people get healthier,where access to water services and sanitation facilitiesis still needed and where changes/improvements havetaken place thereupon suggesting the success ofcertain programs or interventions.

Sixth, it is a ready-to-use source or reference forthe preparation of comprehensive land use plans(CLUP) and socio-economic profiles. Because of this,LGUs are able to save on other expenses such as datacollection, survey, and pre-developmental activities.

Seventh, it helps government to re-adjust goalsand development thrusts. After the CBMS assessmentand evaluation in 2003, Palawan’s local leadership sawthe need to refocus priorities in terms of putting moreinterventions in sectors sorely needing them.

Lastly, it helps in mobilizing investments. Goodand relevant data help streamline local investmentstoward the common goals of the local government units.

DATA DISSEMINATIONThe most important strategy used is active data

dissemination which refers to intensive information-sharing and dialogue with potential users. The data areopenly made accessible across all LGU levels, civilsociety/private sector and NGOs.

Active data dissemination is also achievedthrough the issuance of the Palawan Human DevelopmentReport, the first such report at the provincial level inthe entire Philippines. This report documents theCBMS data for the year 2000 and provides an analysisand interpretation of the information.

NETWORKINGIntensive networking refers to the involvement of

the LGUs and partner agencies in the process of datageneration, interpretation and utilization. In thisregard, an expansion of the CBMS database is done tomake the system relevant for other data users.

INTEGRATION INTO THE REGULAR PLANNING PROCESSTo enhance the utilization of the CBMS data, CBMS

survey results are frequently presented and discussedwith stakeholders like the local development councils,sectoral agencies and local legislative bodies.

Mere presentation, however, is not enough. InPalawan, we are trying to maximize the benefits of CBMSby making it part of the entire planning process. Forinstance, to complement the present developmentapproach where municipalities with common develop-ment priorities are clustered by zones, the CBMS datawere arranged by zone and by cluster, showing theflexibility and utility of the database. The integrationof the CBMS in the planning, monitoring and assess-ment of the performance of each cluster leads to a moreefficient governance.

What lessons can be drawn from the five-yearexperience of Palawan in the CBMS implementation?How can other LGUs maximize the use and benefits ofthe CBMS? Box 1 outlines the major lessons andrecommendations in this regard.

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LESSONS LEARNEDLESSONS LEARNEDLESSONS LEARNEDLESSONS LEARNEDLESSONS LEARNED

FUTURE PLANSFUTURE PLANSFUTURE PLANSFUTURE PLANSFUTURE PLANS

Finally, the full realization of the benefits of theCBMS depends largely on its sustainability. In Palawan,sustaining the implementation of the CBMS is one ofour priorities. In this regard, we have earmarked theupdating of CBMS indicators bi-annually. For next year,we have plans of conducting our third round of surveywhich will cover all households of the province.

Hopefully, all these will lead to further improve-ments in Palawan’s overall development. ❋

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Below are lessons gained from the CBMS-Palawan experience,which may in turn help other local government units in theirCBMS exercises:

1. Build a broad partnership across LGUs, civil society andprivate sector. CBMS cannot be implemented by just oneagency.

2. Delineate clearly the responsibilities across LGUlevels: barangays, municipalities and province, andthe partner agencies from civil society for greatermulti-sectoral participation.

3. Have a strong coordinating and integrating agency(like the provincial government) to avoid disintegrationof efforts and data (kanya-kanya system).

4 . Localize the approach to data gathering, collectionand processing. This must be done in the barangaysand at the municipal levels to avoid clogging up ofdata at the provincial planning body.

5. Share resources across all levels.6. Be creative in tapping support and assistance. A firm

commitment will generate assistance and cooperationat all levels.

7. Be patient: CBMS data will not be available overnight;perseverance will lead to endurance.


TTTTThe implementation of thecommunity-based moni-

toring system (CBMS) in the mu-nicipality of Labo in CamarinesNorte has helped bring aboutseveral changes in the way weplan and prioritize programs inthe municipality. Today, after twoyears of having the CBMS, we areworking toward having the sys-tem institutionalized in our lo-cal set-up. Certainly, this speaksof the sense of satisfaction andgratification that we have atLabo for the experience we havehad in the implementation ofthe CBMS.It is therefore myhonor to share with you thisexperience along with the lessons that we have learnedin the process.

Before the CBMS information system was imple-mented, very few information were available to comprisethe statistical profile of the municipality. When theCBMS was established in our municipality, we were ableto gather the updated information from the 52barangays. At the same time, the results of the CBMSsurvey enabled us to identify and determine basicconditions in our municipality.

These additional information gathered helped ussee the extent of certain conditions in our municipality.Nonetheless, they only gave us a general picture. Whatallowed us to take a deeper look was the use of a moreinnovative tool, shared with us by the CBMS team as anintegral part of the CBMS process. This is the use ofgeographic information system (GIS) maps that assistednot only policy and decision-makers like me but alsoprogram partners and stakeholders in planning theappropriate interventions needed to respond to therequirements of our constituents. With our resourcesquite limited, the GIS maps helped us maximize what wehave and utilize them to the fullest.

With the use of maps, for example, we are able tosee at one glance the households who had access to

sanitary toilet facil it ies beforedistribution of the toilet bowls and thehouseholds who have access to suchfacilities after the intervention.

The same case of determininghow an intervention program hadassisted in addressing Labo’s con-cerns, as gleaned in the CBMS surveyresults, can likewise be seen in theareas of access to safe water supplyand improvement in householdincomes.

* An edited and recast version of the presentation made by theMayor of Labo during the conference.

** Mayor, Municipality of Labo, Camarines Norte and President, Leagueof Municipal Mayors of Camarines Norte.

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Given the examples in theprevious section, how can we sum

awalan is the first province inthe Philippines to implement

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up the specific uses of the CBMS data in both themunicipal and barangay levels?

AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVELForemost is the utilization of the CBMS data in the

preparation of the Municipal Socio-Economic Profileand municipal annual investment and developmentplans.

One illustration is the use by the Office of theMunicipal Social Welfare and Development Office(MSWDO) of the CBMS data to identify the pooresthouseholds in the barangays on the basis of theirincome levels and on whether they are within thepoverty or food threshold limits. The MSWDO also usedthe CBMS data as basis for selecting Philhealthbeneficiaries to whom national government-supportedhealth cards are to be given.



The CBMS data are also useful in thedetermination of priority needs in the municipality.The adoption of Municipal Ordinance No. 188-2004dated March 2, 2004, which granted educational aid inthe form of financial assistance and school supplies toindigent households in response to the problemidentified through the CBMS survey results, is a casein point.

Corollarily, the CBMS results were utilized inidentifying the barangays with critical water supplysystems. With the use of the maps prepared in the CBMSprocess, the office of the Municipal Planning andDevelopment Coordinator was able to easily identify thebarangays that were in dire need of the water facilities.With such information, the municipality of Labo wasconsidered for inclusion in the national governmentprogram Integrated Rural Accessibility Program-Infrastructure for Rural Productivity EnhancementSector (IRAP-InfRES)for water supply.

Moreover, the CBMS survey results providedadditional data in the preparation of the municipal landuse plan as well as inputs to the GIS-basedsocioeconomic database of the municipality.

AT THE BARANGAY LEVELSimilar to the municipal level usage, the CBMS

data have been useful in the preparation of the barangayannual investment and development plans as well asthe Barangay Socioeconomic Profile. They were alsoused in preparing the barangay poverty maps which showthe most depressed areas in the various barangays interms of the different dimensions of poverty.

More important, the CBMS information provedto be helpful in determining priority needs andpriority programs and projects in the various barangays.In this regard, all 52 barangays of the municipality ofLabo drew up their list of priority programs like theallocation, for instance, of Barangay Tulay na Lupa ofspecif ic amounts for i ts supplemental feedingprogram and educational ass is tance program.Relatedly, Barangay Tulay na Lupa’s use of the CBMSsurvey results in analyzing the educational and healthstatus of its children won for it the coveted “Child-Friendliest Barangay” award in a province-widesearch/contest.

Any undertaking has a corresponding cost in terms ofmonetary expenses. In the case of the CBMSimplementation, it may perhaps be said that the benefitsand rewards far outweigh the expenses involved.Consider the following amount incurred during the first

round of the CBMS implementation: P 431, 523.00 or P27.18 per household.

For the subsequent implementation, meanwhile,an estimated cost of P 224,503.34 or P14.14 perhousehold is anticipated. This sum, however, excludestraining costs if the same enumerators are assumed tobe tapped for the next round of survey.

All in all, the costs of implementing the CBMS areminimal when compared to large surveys which haveinterval periods in-between.

As such, it may be considered as a low-costtechnology or procedure.

Because of its proven benefits and advantages, the usageof CBMS data will be the basis of future developmentinitiatives in Labo, especially in its poverty reduction-related programs, projects and activities.

In view of this, we commit to support new CBMSundertakings such as the expected new round of surveyactivities that would evaluate the effects of thedevelopment programs in the municipality. We alsocommit to promote the awareness and use of the CBMSas a tool for poverty monitoring and local governance,and vow to help institutionalize the CBMS as an integralcomponent of development planning and programmingin the municipality of Labo.

With the institutionalization of the CBMS, themunicipality of Labo therefore looks forward to having a“Well-Balanced Outlook for Opportunities and ChangeOnwards!” ❋

WWWWWHAHAHAHAHATTTTT ’’’’’S S S S S TTTTTHE CHE CHE CHE CHE COOOOOSSSSSTTTTT ?????

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The CBMS resultsproved to be vital in thefollowing organizations:

A: Municipalities andBarangays - The CBMS resultwas essential in the identi-fication of priority needsand programs to be imple-

PUNPUNPUNPUNPUNOOOOONNNNNG BARG BARG BARG BARG BARANANANANANGGGGGAAAAAYYYYY IB IB IB IB IBRRRRR AHIM PALAHIM PALAHIM PALAHIM PALAHIM PALAMPIAMPIAMPIAMPIAMPISSSSSIIIIIBarangay Oring-oring,Barangay Oring-oring,Barangay Oring-oring,Barangay Oring-oring,Barangay Oring-oring,

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mented in every barangay within the municipalitiesspecifically in the sector of socio-economicdevelopment, education and literacy, livelihood, healthand sanitation, shelter and other basic indicators.

B. South Palawan Planning Area - The South PalawanPlanning Area is comprised of five municipalities, whichare working together for the effective planning andimplementation of programs/projects related toenvironmental protection and economic developmentof constituents.

In relation to this, the CBMS data were used in theidentification of priority needs and programs to beimplemented in the entire SPPA specifically in thesectors of socio economic, education and literacy, healthand sanitation, shelter and, most of all, the livelihoodpractices that largely affect our surroundingenvironment.

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Palawan

MMMMMSSSSS..... LU LU LU LU LUCCCCCYYYYYLLLLLYYYYYN PANN PANN PANN PANN PANAAAAAGSGSGSGSGSAAAAAGGGGGANANANANANAssistantAssistantAssistantAssistantAssistant Municipal Planning and DevelopmentMunicipal Planning and DevelopmentMunicipal Planning and DevelopmentMunicipal Planning and DevelopmentMunicipal Planning and Development

CoordinatorCoordinatorCoordinatorCoordinatorCoordinator

San Vicente, Northern PalawanSan Vicente, Northern PalawanSan Vicente, Northern PalawanSan Vicente, Northern PalawanSan Vicente, Northern Palawan

Based on the priority needsidentified from the CBMS survey,the barangay was able to identifyand implement programs thataddress some of these needs.

MS. JOVENEE SAGUNMS. JOVENEE SAGUNMS. JOVENEE SAGUNMS. JOVENEE SAGUNMS. JOVENEE SAGUNAssistant City Planning and Development CoordinatorAssistant City Planning and Development CoordinatorAssistant City Planning and Development CoordinatorAssistant City Planning and Development CoordinatorAssistant City Planning and Development Coordinator

Puerto Princesa CityPuerto Princesa CityPuerto Princesa CityPuerto Princesa CityPuerto Princesa City

MR. ROGELIO ABIOGMR. ROGELIO ABIOGMR. ROGELIO ABIOGMR. ROGELIO ABIOGMR. ROGELIO ABIOGManagerManagerManagerManagerManager

Southern Palawan Planning Information CenterSouthern Palawan Planning Information CenterSouthern Palawan Planning Information CenterSouthern Palawan Planning Information CenterSouthern Palawan Planning Information Center

The community-basedmonitoring system (CBMS)which has been implementedtwice in the Municipality of SanVicente was a useful datagathering system. For thebarangays and municipality as

With the implementation ofCBMS, the Puerto Princesa Citygovernment was given a functionaltool to cope with the challengesand responsibilities that localgovernment units face. Thesebenefits include:

• Tangible inputs to the city government’splanning operations.

• Appropriate programs that meet specific needsof the various communities in the area.

a whole, the data results, if accurate and updated,become the bases for situational analysis where problemsand needs of households in the particular area areidentified.

The CBMS data results also help the MunicipalPlanning and Development Office (MPDO) and theLGU in the preparation of socio economic profileincluding maps of each barangay and consolidated intoa municipal profile which in turn serves as a guide fordifferent government level councils, planners andpolicy makers in the formulation of multisectoraldevelopment plans.

• Spatial information on the welfare condition ofthe communities.

❋



Dr. Ponciano Intal, Jr., Executive Director ofAngelo King Institute for Economic andBusiness Studies, delivering the welcome

address to the conference delegates.

NEDA Region IVB Director, Mr. Oskar Balbastro,commenting on the presentation of Gov. Reyes.

Atty. Ricardo Puno, Jr. (center) AKI Board ofTrustees Member, facilitating the insightful

policy makers forum.

Representatives from the Leagues of Cities andMunicipalities (2nd and third from right) provided

comments on the CBMS presentations of Labo,Camarines Norte and Puerto Princesa City.

Mayor Wenceslao “Peewee” Trinidad of Pasay Cityand Mayor Lucena Diaz-Dimaala of Narra Palawan

were among the local chief executives who graced thepolicymakers forum.

Heads of statistical agencies, AdministratorCarmelita Ericta of the National Statistics Office

(NSO) and Executive Director, Romulo Virola of theNational Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB)

participating in the forum.


Mr. Paul Villarete (at the rostrum), President of theLeague of Local Development Planners, noted that if

CBMS is a good tool then it must be replicated in all theLGUs in the Philippines.

Some of the participants viewing the CBMS exhibitwhich showcased photos of LGU capacity-building

activities and sample CBMS-generated mapsshowing CBMS survey results.

Focal CBMS partners from LGU-Camarines Norte .Organizers of the workshop and selected

participants pose for a souvenir group picture.

Dr. Evan Due (at the rostrum), Senior ProgrammeOfficer of the International Development ResearchCentre commending the partnership between theCBMS Team of AKI and the LGUs in implementing

CBMS in the Philippines.

Ms. Josephine Escaño (at the rostrum) of the ProvincialGovernment of Palawan shared how CBMS served as inputs

for the assessment of the CIDSS Program in Palawan.



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PPPPPUNUNUNUNUNOOOOONNNNNG BG BG BG BG BARARARARARANANANANANGGGGGAAAAAYYYYY CO CO CO CO CONNNNNSSSSSTTTTTANANANANANCIACIACIACIACIA O O O O O..... LAB LAB LAB LAB LABIIIIIOOOOOSSSSSBarangay KalamundingBarangay KalamundingBarangay KalamundingBarangay KalamundingBarangay Kalamunding

Labo, Camarines NorteLabo, Camarines NorteLabo, Camarines NorteLabo, Camarines NorteLabo, Camarines Norte

The implementationof CBMS in our barangay wasa big help to local leadersand residents as well.

CBMS was also a bighelp in providing data to thestudents (thesis and educa-tional research) in that they were able to easily submittheir projects in school. Ditto with other office workerswho also made use of some data from the CBMS for someof their work assignments.

CBMS also helped our barangay win several awards,among which are:

1. Child-Friendly Barangay Awardee (2nd Place,Municipal Winner)

2. Katarungang Pambarangay (Municipal Winner)3. Katarungang Pambarangay (CY 2004 regional

winner and recently competing for NationalEvaluation).

Since I started workingas a planner, there were varioustools and systems, formats andpresentation that were beingused in the preparation andpresentation of the MunicipalProfile or the Socio-Economic

MRMRMRMRMR..... E E E E EVVVVVARIARIARIARIARISSSSSTTTTTO PO PO PO PO PANDANDANDANDANDIIIIIMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development Coordinator


Profiles (SEP). The preparation and presentation of theSEP have changed significantly; previous profiles weremore on tables and graph presentation, but with CBMS,added features were provided such as the geographicinformation system (GIS) wherein data and informationwere graphically represented in maps.

MMMMMSSSSS. MIRIAN M. HERNANDEZ,. MIRIAN M. HERNANDEZ,. MIRIAN M. HERNANDEZ,. MIRIAN M. HERNANDEZ,. MIRIAN M. HERNANDEZ,Municipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development Coordinator

TTTTTalialialialialisssssaaaaayyyyy,,,,, CamCamCamCamCamarararararineineineineines Ns Ns Ns Ns Nooooorrrrr tetetetete

Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) hasso far become very much useful to the Local GovernmentUnit, specifically for the Office of the MunicipalPlanning and Development Coordinator. Informationon population, education, health and sanitation wereused in submitting the municipal entry to the ProvincialSearch for Child-Friendly Barangays.

Now that the LGU has applied and qualified forthe Infrastructure for Rural Productivity EnhancementSector (InfRES) Project, a grant project of thegovernment with funds coming from the AsianDevelopment Bank and the Department of Agricultureas the lead implementing agency focusing on povertyreduction and improvement of agriculture, the CBMSdata become handy. Almost all of the data are used inthe submission of the information needed to completethe Concept Paper for the 2nd Eligibility Requirements.

The LGU, on the other hand, is currently updatingits Socio-Economic and Physical Profile (SEPP) to besubmitted to NEDA and the Regional DevelopmentCouncil and there are information that could be foundin the CBMS data that are useful for the SEPP andultimately to the Land Use Plan.

With CBMS, the preparation of Municipal Plans ismore focused in addressing the issues and concernsrelative to the results of the data and informationgenerated by the activity.

Objective-setting in program planning will beeasier through CBMS not only in the planning periodbut also in the implementation, monitoring andevaluation phases of the development plan.

It is also easier for every office to make and defend itsown project proposal because the data and informationgathered are based on the actual and up-to-date surveyresults.

Camarines Norte


There are a lot to gain than to lose in implementingthe Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS). Withthe very rigid and time-bound submission of requirementsand documents for the different foreign and locally-fundedprojects that the LGU would like to avail of, the informationbeing requested by other government agencies notwith-standing, the LGU is thankful for the presence of CBMSdata which are a source of countless reliable information.With all records of the LGU gone in the fire that razed theMunicipal Building last April 2003, the CBMS database islike a blessing coming from heaven.

The municipal andbarangay governments inBasud found the project veryuseful and informativeparticularly to all policy-making and legislative bodies.It creates and main-tainsdatabanks at all levels which

MS. ROSALIE OCAN-LOPEZMS. ROSALIE OCAN-LOPEZMS. ROSALIE OCAN-LOPEZMS. ROSALIE OCAN-LOPEZMS. ROSALIE OCAN-LOPEZMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development Coordinator

Basud, Camarines NorteBasud, Camarines NorteBasud, Camarines NorteBasud, Camarines NorteBasud, Camarines Norte

could be used as reference in planning and budgeting.Results were used in day-to-day transactions such as inthe issuance of certification of residency, poor incomelevel and other purposes. Results could also be used byour political leaders for their own consumption andreferences.

CBMS findings on school participation rate have beenused in justifying a project proposal for a grant from theJapanese Embassy. LGU-Basud was able to get a grant fromthe Japanese Embassy amounting to P 4.8 million for theconstruction of a secondary school facility- a 6-classroomfacility complete with comfort rooms, bookshelves and 50chairs for each classroom in Taisan, Basud.

The Municipal Plan-ning & Development Officeand the community leadersand volunteers act as keyplayers in the implemen-tation of the project.

The LGU-Labo, Camarines Norte used five (5)major strategies to reach and regularly update thestakeholders in the CBMS institutionalization, to wit;

1. Presentation of CBMS and its results in theMunicipal Development Council (MDC) meetings.

2. Consultation/lobbying with the local chiefexecutive and legislative body during itscommittee meetings.

3. Appearance and interview at the local communityradio station (DWLB-FM 89.7 Mega Hertz) locatedat the 3rd floor of the Municipal Bldg.

4. Regular updates of CBMS activities in“BALITANGLAW”, a local publication of the LGU.

5. Info-dissemination during the regularinformation service, including a caravan to 52barangays, a year-round activity of the LGU-Labo.

MRMRMRMRMR..... JOJOJOJOJOSSSSSE RAME RAME RAME RAME RAMOOOOON LAN LAN LAN LAN LAGGGGGAAAAATTTTTUZUZUZUZUZ

P l a n n i n g O f f i c e r a n d M u n i c i p a l P l a n n i n g a n d P o v e r t yP l a n n i n g O f f i c e r a n d M u n i c i p a l P l a n n i n g a n d P o v e r t yP l a n n i n g O f f i c e r a n d M u n i c i p a l P l a n n i n g a n d P o v e r t yP l a n n i n g O f f i c e r a n d M u n i c i p a l P l a n n i n g a n d P o v e r t yP l a n n i n g O f f i c e r a n d M u n i c i p a l P l a n n i n g a n d P o v e r t y

Reduction Action OfficerReduction Action OfficerReduction Action OfficerReduction Action OfficerReduction Action Officer


MR. BIMBO DORIAMR. BIMBO DORIAMR. BIMBO DORIAMR. BIMBO DORIAMR. BIMBO DORIAMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorMunicipal Planning and Development Coordinator

Sta. Elena, Camarines NorteSta. Elena, Camarines NorteSta. Elena, Camarines NorteSta. Elena, Camarines NorteSta. Elena, Camarines Norte

The opportunity ofusing CBMS in Sta. Elenais rooted on severalreasons. First is to esta-blish a database (in ourcase a social sector data-base) which we found tobe suited to our needs atthis point and compre-hensive enough to be expandable to other sectors.

Second is that the CBMS has a GeographicInformation System (GIS) component which is morereadily appreciated by our decision makers, whoappreciate the digitized map features better.

Third is the financial viability of CBMS. Given thatcommercial GIS softwares offered today in the marketare very expensive, which the municipality could notafford, it is indeed a welcome reprieve to receive a freesoftware such as the CBMS-NRDB*. ❋

*A database developed for CBMS application.



espite the many challenges ofloal governance amidst natio-

n behalf of the League, I wouldlike to thank you for involving

WWWWW ithin the framework provi-ded by the Local Govern-

MrMrMrMrMr. Oskar Balbastro. Oskar Balbastro. Oskar Balbastro. Oskar Balbastro. Oskar BalbastroDirectorNational Economic and Development AuthorityRegion IV-B

ment Code(LGC), the fightagainst poverty increasingly takesthe form of local governmentintervention, which in turn, calls foradditional local budget support tolocal government units (LGUs). Atthe same time, the delegation ofgovernment functions to the LGUs,as Dr. Celia Reyes emphasizedearlier in her presentation, likewiseincreases the demand for regularup-to-date and more disaggregatedinformation essential for develop-ment planning, policymaking,projects development and impactmonitoring at all levels. Theimportance of having accurate infor-mation becomes even more pro-nounced during times of fiscal diffi-culties in view of the need to deter-mine correctly where the meagerresources ought to be invested in.

In this regard, it isheartwarming to note that certainLGUs like the province of Palawanhave been able to come up withupdated demographic informationabout the province and its welfareand development situation, ascontained in its first Palawan Hu-man Development Report (HDR).

The information in the Report,as generated through the CBMS,lends itself toward having moreeffective governance at the locallevel by allowing an easieridentification of appropriate inter-ventions to address the gaps pin-

us in this laudable endeavor. Acommunity-based monitoring systemfinds essence in the capability tomonitor local development pro-grams, particularly those having todo with poverty reduction initiatives.Indeed, any advocate of good localgovernance will find rhyme andreason to support, pursue andreplicate a system that fully andgenuinely involves the communityin its implementation, and one thatintegrates all inputs and dataextracts from all administrative levelsof government – provincial, city/municipal and barangay/commu-nity levels. To learn now that thismonitoring system is households-based is to appreciate the value itadds to the process of policy anddecision-making as well as indevelopment planning.

But, of course, I know you willagree when I say that the heart andsoul of the entire process has beenthe continuing collection andgeneration of the database throughthe years by the CBMS in the pilot

AAAAAttyttyttyttytty. Gil F. Gil F. Gil F. Gil F. Gil Fernando Cruzernando Cruzernando Cruzernando Cruzernando CruzExecutive DirectorLeague of Cities of the Philippines

OOOOOMaMaMaMaMayyyyyor Gerardo Vor Gerardo Vor Gerardo Vor Gerardo Vor Gerardo V. Calderon. Calderon. Calderon. Calderon. CalderonSecretary-GeneralLeague of Municipalities of the Philippines

DDDDDnal fiscal crisis, the presentationstell us some very good stories aboutexemplary practices in Philippinelocal governance in the area ofcommunity-based monitoring sys-tem. The case studies properly docu-ment the process by which CBMSwas used for existing planning andmonitoring exercises in variousareas.

I am grateful that the AngeloKing Institute for Economic andBusiness Studies, an academic-basedpolicy think-tank, is assisting somelocal governments in the Phili-ppines to promote the significanceand usefulness of CBMS in thecountry.

I am very happy to see themunicipalities of Labo and SanVicente as well as the city of PuertoPrincesa being recipients of thisworthwhile project. As the saying goes,many are called but only few arechosen. I share the pride of these

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pointed through the CBMS in termsof services, facilities and manpowerrequirements.

Of course, the success of theCBMS implementation in Palawan islargely due to the proactive role ofthe province in disseminating thedata to various stakeholders in thedevelopment process.

sites. This is where we all appreciatethe importance of the regularupdating of the data-and at minimalcosts.

You will notice that we haveconcentrated our comments on thoseintegral qualities of the CBMS becausethey are close to our heart as a league.

We hope that as a probable nextstep, we can complement each other’seffort toward improving the quality oflife of our people.


three LGUs for having been chosenin this project. My only concern is whyonly in Palawan and Camarines Norte.

It is my ardent desire to seeother municipalities in the Phi-lippines taking part in this projectto improve the quality of municipalgovernance in the country as a resultof having better statistics or bench-mark information for evidence-based policymaking through theCBMS

There is a need to take intoaccount, however, that CBMS is not apanacea to the many challenges oflocal governance. The valuablelessons from Palawan and CamarinesNorte for instance, points to the factthat any project, including the CBMS,cannot be implemented effectivelyand efficiently by just one agency.There is a need to build a broadpartnership with other LGUs, localgovernment associations, civil society,private sector and non-governmentalorganizations. Thus, the League ofMunicipalities of the Philippines(LMP) will be more than willing toestablish a close partnership with theCBMS Network of the Angelo KingInstitute for Economic and BusinessStudies to promote and apply thevalue of CBMS in various Philippinemunicipalities.

I hope to see the CBMS Networkstrengthening its link with Philippinemunicipalities through the LMP. I amvery confident that the strengtheningof this network will advance ourcommon aspirations for better localgovernance in the Philippines.

n the part of the Department,we realize, of course, the reali-

❋

irst of all, I am happy to havebeen invited to this conference

community, by the community andfor the community.”

I think that it is important –especially for us in the League whosecomposition totals 1,725 memberswho are in the forefront and focal pointof implementation of almost all deve-lopment programs for local govern-mentunits – to really know more about theCBMS, evaluate it and calculate its costsand contribution to the entire country.

And if it is a good program – asmany of my colleagues in this Leagueof Local Development Planners attestto – then I enjoin all the members ofthe League to be one with me inasking the Department of Interior andLocal Governments (DILG) to issue adirective that will call for the imme-diate implementation of the CBMSnationwide.

With that, I look forward toseeing the CBMS take off on a nationalscale and to working with the CBMSteam more closely in the near future.

he presentations articulated bythe speakers gave us a glimpse of

volunteer themselves will be able toprovide both with ample understandingof the mechanics of the system and theknowledge of its proper application anduses so that the system may beinstitutionalized, albeit the change inleadership of the local government units.

As such, we look forward to havinga strong collaboration with the CBMSteam so that we can really put the CBMSinto full use and application, therebyhelping the barangays.

MrMrMrMrMr. P. P. P. P. Paul Villareteaul Villareteaul Villareteaul Villareteaul VillaretePresident, League of Local DevelopmentPlanners of the Philippines

FFFFFwhere the discussion is focused onsomething that is community-based.For anything that relates to acommunity is close to my heartespecially because I believe that if itis community-based, then it is “of the

MrMrMrMrMr. Eduardo Tiongson. Eduardo Tiongson. Eduardo Tiongson. Eduardo Tiongson. Eduardo TiongsonDeputy for External AffairsLeague of Barangays of the Philippines

how the various sites have been able toapply the community-based monito-ring system (CBMS) in their regulargovernance and monitoring functions.This is, of course, of great interest andimportance to us because we, at thebarangay levels are the ones imple-menting programs like the differentanti-poverty programs. Unfortunately,because of the political timetable of ourterms of office, many of us are not ableto have adequate time to really interna-lize the meanings of the informationin these reports, much more, put theminto proper application to help in ourplanning, prioritization and imple-mentation functions.

That is why we are hoping thatthe training of the CBMS, not just forthe local executives but more impor-tant for the community residents and

TTTTT

Ms. Maritess Balhon-KellyMs. Maritess Balhon-KellyMs. Maritess Balhon-KellyMs. Maritess Balhon-KellyMs. Maritess Balhon-KellyLocal Government Officer IVDepartment of Interior and Local Government

IIIIIties of election and the turnover of officialsand people that takes place in the courseof elections. As such, the Department triesto focus on functionalities rather thanpersonalities as the core of its program inempowering local communities and theircitizens.

It is in this regard that theDepartment supports the adoption ofthe community-based monitoring systemor CBMS in helping the local govern-ment’s planning and monitoring systemsand in coming up with a set of coreindicators for measuring the welfare anddevelopment status of local commu-nities. For the objectives and rationale ofthe system are fundamentally in line withour monitoring of the attainment of theMillennium Development Goals(MDGs) set for different aspects ofdevelopment.

The guidebook that was earlierdeveloped in another program for LGUsto determine indicators in monitoringthe MDGs can thus be combined orintegrated with the concept andmechanics of the CBMS to allow for abetter streamlining of the monitoringsystem. On the whole, the efforts shouldconcentrate on capacity-building forcommunities that are shown to be inneed so that the local people can be trulyempowered in improving their lives.



here are three key reasons why the provincialgovernment of Bulacan has decided to adopt the

n one of our regular executive planning workshopswhere we do visioning and come up with various

community-based monitoring system (CBMS) province-wide. One is to ensure the availability of up-to-date,relevant and accurate data from all its constituent unitsas basis in making development plans, measuringdevelopment outcomes and monitoring welfare status.Two is to maintain the overall high quality of life inBulacan as measured in terms of the humandevelopment index. One of CBMS’ advantages is itscapacity to pinpoint where the gaps in terms of access toservices and facilities are. And three is to help improvethe tax base in Bulacan. While the provincial governmentof Bulacan had been using a satellite-based geographicinformation system (GIS) in enhancing its property tax-information system, what it lacks is the so-called groundlevel information or “house-tagging” set of information.We believe that this can be provided through theapplication of the CBMS, thereupon becoming veryinstrumental in improving our tax base.

Because we believe that the adoption and use ofthe CBMS will truly be beneficial, we have convened themunicipal mayors to brief them on the system and to gettheir commitments for an agreed-upon 50-50 percentsharing of the costs of implementation of the CBMS. Forwe believe that the principle of sharing in terms of costsand rewards should be the spirit by which our programsought to stand on.

Ms. Arlene PascualProvincial Planning &Development CoordinatorProvince of Bulacan

Mayor Wenceslao TrinidadPasay City

VVVVViiiiieeeeewwwwws fs fs fs fs frrrrrooooom Nm Nm Nm Nm Neeeeewwwww CB CB CB CB CBMMMMMS PS PS PS PS Pararararartttttnersnersnersnersners

IIIIIideas to study or adopt programs and projects, one ofour department heads, Rolando Londonio, who hasbeen instrumental in reaping awards for our city suchas the Gawad Galing Pook Awards for our city-wideBayanihan Banking Program, presented us with theidea of the CBMS. Right there and then, we knew thatthe CBMS will be good for Pasay. Not only will we beable to determine the actual number of our poorpeople; we will also be able to diagnose the extent ofpoverty and determine its causes and formulateappropriate and relevant policies to address it.

I believe CBMS is very timely and we have agreedwith the CBMS coordinating body to implement theprogram in Pasay beginning 2005 onwards.

As of today, we have created a technical workinggroup, in coordination with the CBMS team, that isfinalizing the survey instruments. The training on datacollection and data processing will commence in Octoberand will be pilot-tested in selected strategic barangays. Wehope to partner with church-based NGOs (as what we didfor our Bayanihan Banking Program) to preserve theintegrity and transparency of the data collected. The fullimplementation will be in 2005.

We acknowledge the urgent need to keep ourbarangays informed; thus, to adopt this program, we shallbe providing each barangay with an information board.The information board will display each barangay’s vicinitymap and the vision of the city will be highlighted. Likewise,through the information board, barangay officials will bereminded of their responsibilities and families will beencouraged to have their own and participate in thedevelopmental programs. The information board will alsoshowcase inspiring stories of community leaders andoutstanding citizens of the barangays.

We had a successful bahayanihan program in Pasay.The adoption of the CBMS is aimed at the spirit ofbayanihan in our Pasay barangays. Thank you for sharingthat spirit with us.

TTTTT


he lack of a databankcontaining primary data at

❋

Mayor Thadeo Ouano*Mandaue City

TTTTT

strategies for the effective and efficient delivery of basicservices and usually results in hitting the wrongclientele and having unresponsive priorities.

The lack of benchmark data to measure performancelevels is also a stumbling block to the advocacy oftransparency and accountability. While the LocalGovernance Performance Management System (LGPMS)of the Department of Interior and Local Government is agood tool in performance measurement, the quality of itsoutcomes depends on the quality and reliability of theinputted data. This is where the CBMS can resolve andclose this gap. It will complement the LGPMS initiative.

The act of governing becomes meaningful only ifthere is a point of departure from where developmentoutcomes are measured at the end of the line. Success ingovernance do not take place by accident. There areproducts of well-planned actions based on givendevelopment indicators and success indicators.

We definitely need reliable data to have this and thus,our entry into the community-based monitoring networkspeaks of our desire to be able to know where we are interms of performance in the delivery of basic services andto determine who the poor are among our constituentsand where they are located. In the process, we hope to beable to rationalize our strategy in the delivery of basicservices, giving more priority to where basic services aremore needed.

The CBMS is part and parcel of our desire to letdevelopment assume a face and an address and to deliverservices where they are needed. More specifically, too, theCBMS complements many of our ongoing projects andwill allow us to see where government intervention is andhas been most responsive. In this regard, we are ready tostart the implementation of the CBMS in Mandaue Citynext month.

* The speech was delivered by City Administrator Serafin Blanco.

Mr. Ronet SantosRegional Coordinator, Voluntary Service Overseas

the LGU level is a commonobstacle among local govern-ment units in formulatingdevelopment plans. This hashampered the formulation of

llow me to briefly presentthe work that our group,AAAAA

the Voluntary Service Overseas(VSO) had provided in Boholand now in Agusan del Surwhere we have the naturalresource database (NRDB)system combined with thecommunity-based monitoring system (CBMS) in doingmonitoring work.

The CBMS, of course, is basically about thegathering of information on a regular basis to trackhuman development based on indicators classifiedunder 3 major categories: survival, security and enabling.Said information, presented in text and tables, are usefulin measuring the human development index andthereby in monitoring the status of human welfare in aparticular place.

Said information, however, are made even moretelling when presented in map format. The NRDB,which basically uses the geographic information system(GIS), plays a very useful role in that it allows the data tobe shown in maps. With the available data, theinformation may capture situations not only at the levelof provinces but also down to the level of barangays andeven households. At the same time, the programprovides a mapping of the distribution of naturalresources within a locality so that it combines the humandimension with the physical attributes of theenvironment.

As such, the combination of the CBMS and NRDBbecomes a powerful tool in capturing welfare conditionsof the people and the communities. For it not only helpsanswer the who, what and where but also the why. Answersmay also be captured and easily seen in the maps bywhich the information are presented and thereby showa more dynamic picture. And they thus help inenhancing local governance by addressing concernsand designing appropriate assistance programs.

We therefore hope that this can help as many localgovernment units (LGUs) as possible. That is why weare helping organize workshops that explain the natureand use of the CBMS and the NRDB. In the process, wealso hope that the interaction with LGUs may helpfurther refine the integration of natural resource data-base systems with human development monitoring.



Open Forum

Lunch

Experience of Municipality of Labo, Camarines NorteBy: Honorable Mayor Winifredo Balce-OcoMunicipal Mayor of Labo, Camarines Norte andPresident, League of Mayors of Camarines Norte

CBMS:The Puerto Princesa ExperienceBy: Mayor Edward HagedornCity Mayor of Puerto Princesa

Represented by: Ms. Jovenee SagunAssistant City Planning and Development Coordinator

Responses:

Atty. Gil Fernando C. CruzExecutive Director, League of Cities

Mayor Gerardo V. CalderonSecretary General League of Municipalities of thePhilippines

Open Forum

Coffee Break

Responses from New Local CBMS Partners

Ms. Arlene PascualProvincial Planning and Development CoordinatorProvince of Bulacan

Honorable Mayor Thadeo OuanoCity Mayor of Mandaue, Cebu and Vice President for

the Visayas of the League of Cities of thePhilippines

Represented By: Mr. Serafin BlancoCity Administrator, Mandaue City

Honorable Mayor Wenceslao TrinidadCity Mayor of Pasay and Spokesperson, Metro Manila

Mayors League

Responses from International Organizations on LocalMonitoring System- Related Initiatives

Mr. Ronet SantosRegional Coordinator, Voluntary Service Overseas

Registration

Opening Ceremony

Master of Ceremonies:Mr. Raymund HabaradasAssistant Professor, College of Business and

ManagementDe La Salle University

National Anthem/Invocation

Opening RemarksDr. Ponciano S. Intal, Jr.Executive DirectorAngelo King Institute for Economic and Business

StudiesDe La Salle University

Key Note SpeakerHonorable Secretary Corazon SolimanSecretary of Social Welfare and Development

Represented by: Usec. Lourdes G. BalanonUndersecretary for Programs and Policy GroupDepartment of Social Welfare and Development

Open ForumGuest Moderator: Atty. Ricardo Puno, Jr.Board MemberAngelo King Institute for Economic and Business

Studies

Coffee Break

Session 1: CBMS Local and International Network Initiatives: An Overview

Presentor: Dr. Celia Reyes PEP Co- Director and CBMS Network Leader

Session 2. CBMS and Local Governance

Case of Palawan:By: Honorable Governor Joel ReyesProvincial Governor of Palawan and Vice-President

for Luzon of the League of Provinces of thePhilippines

ResponsesMr. Oscar BalbastroDirector for Region IV-BNational Economic and Development Authority

ProgramProgramProgramProgramProgram

September 23, 2004September 23, 2004September 23, 2004September 23, 2004September 23, 2004


Dr. Evan DueSenior Regional Program SpecialistInternational Development Research CentreRegional Office for Southeast and East Asia

Open Forum

Closing RemarksDr. Celia M. ReyesPEP Co-Director and CBMS Network Leader

End of Session

Session 3. CBMS Data Collection and Data ProcessingTechniques

CBMS-GIS and Global Positioning SystemPresenter: Mr. Bimbo DoriaMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorSta. Elena, Camarines Norte

Open Forum

Moderator: Dr. Caesar B. CororatonSenior Research FellowPhilippine Institute for Development Studies

Session 4. Use of CBMS for Preparation of Development Plans and Socioeconomic Profiles

The South Palawan Planning Area ProfileUsing CBMS As Database

Presentor: Mr. Rogelio AbiogManager, Southern Palawan Planning Information

Center

CBMS: The San Vicente ExperiencePresenter: Ms. Lucylyn PanagsaganAssistant Municipal Planning and Development

CoordinatorMunicipality of San Vicente, Northern Palawan

Coffee Break

Application of CBMS on Preparation on SEPsand Project Proposals

Presentor: Mr. Evaristo PandiMunicipal Planning and Development CoordinatorLabo, Camarines Norte

Use of CBMS for Program Intervention at theBarangay Level

Punong Barangay Kagawad Constancia LabiosBarangay Kalamunding, Labo, Camarines Norte

Punong Barangay Ibrahim PalampisiBarangay Oring Oring, Brookespoint,

Southern Palawan

Responses

Mr. Eduardo TiongsonDeputy for External AffairsLeague of Barangays of the Philippines

Ms. Maritess Balhon-KellyLocal Government Officer IVBureau of Local Government DevelopmentDepartment of Interior and Local Government

Mr. Paul VillareteNational President, League of Local DevelopmentPlanners of the Philippines and City Planning andDevelopment Coordinator-Cebu City

Open Forum

Lunch

Session 5. Program Impact Assessment and CBMS

Evaluating the CIDSS Program/Other Programs inPalawan

Presentor: Ms. Josephine EscañoChief, Research and Evaluation DivisionProvincial Government of Palawan

Open Forum

Session 6. Best Practices and Lessons learned in Humanand Financial Resource Mobilization for CBMS

Presentors:

Mr. Jose Ramon LagatuzLGU-Labo, Camarines Norte

Ms. Rosalie Ocan-LopezLGU-Basud, Camarines Norte

Open ForumModerator: Dr. Jose Ramon AlbertResearch ChiefStatistical Research and Training Center

Closing Remarks

End of Session

September 24, 2004September 24, 2004September 24, 2004September 24, 2004September 24, 2004



CBMS NETWORK UPDATESCBMS Network Coordinating TeamAngelo King Institute for Economic and Business StudiesRm. I-1016, 10th Flr. Angelo King International CenterEstrada cor. Arellano Streets, Malate, Manila 1004, Philippines

BUSINESS MAILBulk Pre-sorted Third Class MailPostage Paid at Makati Central Post OfficeUnder Permit No. BPSPM-04-05 NCRValid Until December 31, 2004Subject for Postal Inspection

Editorial Staff

This publication was prepared by theCBMS Network Coordinating Team of theAngelo King Institute for Economic andBusiness Studies with the aid of a grantfrom the International DevelopmentResearch Centre, Ottawa, Canada.

Full copies of the conference program,papers and presentations are availableonline in the CBMS section of the PEPwebsite at www. pep-net.org.

For inquiries, please write or call:

CBMS Network Coordinating TeamAngelo King Institute for Economic

and Business StudiesRm. I-1016, 10th Floor

Angelo King International CenterEstrada corner Arellano Streets,Malate, Manila 1004, Philippines

Tel No: (632) 524-5333Telefax No: (632) 526-2067

E-mail: [email protected]

Celia M. ReyesEditor-in-Chief

Jennifer P.T. LigutonManaging Editor

Jasminda P. AsirotJoel E. Bancolita

Kenneth C. IlardeAnne Bernadette E. Mandap

and Lani V. GarnaceResearchers/Writers

Editorial Staff


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