The Department of the Interior and Local Government Region 3 hosts the Bottom-Up Budgeting (BuB) Summit for Northern Luzon Cluster which started on September 8 until today at Travelers Hotel, Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

The summit's objective is to generate observations, learnings and recommendations from all BuB stakeholders of Regions 1, 2, 3 and Cordillera Administrative Region. It likewise aims to come up with concrete doable recommendations in strengthening Civil Society Organizations' (CSO) participation in the BuB process; generate feedback from stakeholders on the proposed modifications of the program; generate commitment from stakeholders on fast tracking the implementations of 2013 to 2015 projects; and review the BuB policies and solicit specific recommendations on strengthening such policies.

The summit, conducted by the BuB Oversight Agencies composed of the DILG, Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) and National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) is being participated in by Local Poverty Reduction Action Team (LPRAT) Chairpersons, League of Municipalities of Philippines (LMP) Chapter Presidents, Local Chief Executives with BuB Best Practices, NAPC Provincial Focal Persons and Sectoral Representatives, DILG Focal Persons and representatives of oversight agencies.

Opening program started yesterday with DILG R-3 Director Florida Dijan delivering her welcome remarks. NAPC Undersecretary Florencia Dorotan and DILG Assistant Secretary Josefina Castilla-Go also shared their messages to the participants.

Highlight of yesterday's activity was the BuB Gallery Walk. Sixteen panels were displayed emphasizing the processes and steps in the BuB implementation. Participants had provided comments and feedbacks based on the questions which were on the board. They also shared their reflections on the different phases of the program. All comments and reflections generated from the gallery walk will be incorporated in the BuB Summit Statement.

Participating Agencies also set up booths featuring the Menu of Programs or the BuB projects which can be availed by the Local Government Units through the LPRATs.

Today, participants will be engaged in the discussion of the State of BuB: Implementation Progress from FY 2013-2015 and Sharing of Good Practices. There will be four break-out sessions covering the topics on Improving the BuB Planning Process; Speeding-up BuB Implementation; Strengthening LGU-CSO Partnerships and Capacities for BuB; and Communicating BuB to the public.

Back to back with the break-out sessions is a press conference which primarily aims to inform the public on the status and progress of the program. Guests of Honor DBM Secretary Florencio Abad, NAPC Secretary Jose Eliseo Rocamora, DILG Undersecretary Austere Panadero and Vice Chair for the Basic Sector Ruperto Aleroza will be addressing all issues and concerns of local media.

BuB seeks to increase citizens' access to local service delivery through a demand-driven planning process and to strengthen government accountability in local public service provision. The oversight and participating agencies are tasked to ensure the implementation of priority poverty reduction projects as identified at the city/ municipal level through a participatory planning and budgeting process.