LGUs set budget plans for MDGs

ALAMINOS CITY ,Philippines  – Four local government units (LGUs) in western Pangasinan have allocated funds for various Millennium Development Goal (MDG)-related programs and projects totaling almost P200-million for implementation this year.

Alaminos City and the municipalities of Bani, Burgos and Dasol have formalized the integration of MDGs in their annual investment plans (AIPs) for 2012, trailblazing MDG localization through programs, projects and budget in Region 1.

Alaminos City set aside P112 million for MDG-related programs representing 35.5 percent of the city’s total proposed budget for 2012 dedicated to eradicating extreme poverty.

Bani has allocated a total of P61.6 million for various MDG-related programs, representing 73.70 percent of the town’s total budget.

On the other hand, Burgos approved a total of P13.7 million for various MDG-related programs representing 25.51 percent of their total budget.

The salt-producing town of Dasol has allocated P10.3 million for the same purpose.

Roland Cabigas, managing director of the La Liga Policy Institute, said the allocated funds are expected to improve the delivery of basic social services for the poorest of the poor in their respective localities.

La Liga, a development policy research and advocacy organization, facilitated the process of budget-tagging the MDG-related programs of the said towns as part of the MDG Pathways: Cementing Pathways to Accelerating the MDGs funded by the European Union.

Citizens’ groups took part in the planning process, including the budget appropriation after the identification of important MDG programs that will best boost the chances of the local government units in achieving their local MDGs.

Among the eight MDG goals and targets, programs related to the eradication of extreme poverty, promoting universal primary education and maternal health, as well as ensuring environmental sustainability got the lion’s share in their 2012 AIPs.

Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza, also the secertary general of the League of Cities of the Philippines, said the integration of the MDGs in their AIP for 2012 concretizes the commitment of the LGUs to achieving the MDGs by 2015, especially because it came at a time when the LGUs are experiencing budget cuts in their Internal Revenue Allotment.

Dasol Mayor Noel Nacar, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (Pangasinan chapter), said the integration of the MDGs in the AIPs is consistent with the call of President Aquino for LGU support to accelerate the MDGs.

Burgos Mayor Alberto Guiang Jr lauded the European Union and La Liga for the success of the project, adding that the budget-tagging of MDG-related projects as well as the participation of citizens’ groups have begun to be institutionalized in the local budget process.

Cabigas said that aside from complementing the effort of the national government to achieve the MDGs, the local initiative also proves that an LGU, whether big or small, can effectively utilize its limited resources to address problems related to poverty in partnership with the citizens’ groups and the communities that stand to benefit from it.