BUDGET Secretary Florencio B. Abad said the administration is seeking a P1-billion increase of the local funding for Mindanao in light of the proposed implementation of peace and development programs under the Bangsamoro basic law (BBL).
“With the establishment of peace and the rule of law in Mindanao, we trust that prosperity will follow as Filipinos in Mindanao benefit from real and inclusive development,” Abad said. He said the proposed 2016 National Expenditure Program contains an increased P5.98-billion funding for bottom-up budgeting (BuB) projects.
He said the allocation aims to implement some 3,532 BuB projects that help promote peace and development in conflict-stricken areas of Mindanao. The BuB approach is part of the public finance-management reforms to allow local communities to have direct access to local funds.
Abad said the BuB program is geared toward giving local communities “greater voice and steak in the national budget process.”
“For Mindanao this program is crucial in delivering much-needed government services to far-flung communities. At the same time, BuB allows us to improve governance in vulnerable and risk-prone areas,” Abad said.
Since 2010 close to P20 billion worth of BuB funds have been allocated to Mindanao, Abad said.