In an effort to drive forward the government’s goal of empowering the poor, the Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) last May 2012 to promote people’s participation initiatives in the localization of poverty reduction and good governance and in bottom-up budgeting.

CODE-NGO is implementing a new project titled “Building and Strengthening Local CSO-LGU-NGA Partnerships for Poverty Reduction” with the NAPC Empowerment Program. Three (3) regional CSO networks, Coalition for Bicol Development (CBD), Eastern Visayas Network of NGOs and POs (EVNET), and Mindanao Coalition of Development NGO Networks (MINCODE), together with their member organizations will implement this project in 20 municipalities. These municipalities were identified from the 609 priority areas selected by the government’s Cabinet Cluster on Human Development and Poverty Reduction (HPDR).

The project, which will run from June to October 2012, intends to (a) mobilize NGOs, POs and other civil society organizations within the municipalities to participate in the localized convergence for poverty reduction and strengthen the local CSO networks that will engage and partner with the municipal government and concerned national government agencies (NGAs); (b) work with the municipal mayors and other LGU officials to facilitate the establishment and strengthening of a municipal level LGU-CSO-NGA joint coordinating committee that will steer and oversee the local convergence effort; (c) build up the capacity of the CSOs to actively participate in the conduct of the local poverty assessment and poverty reduction action planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation of the anti-poverty and good governance programs of the government, including the preparation of the local poverty reduction action plan (LPRAP); and (d) start organizing the Pantawid Pamilya (conditional cash transfer) beneficiaries in the project areas and/or the coconut farmers, small fishers and other marginalized  sectors, and include these newly organized groups in the local CSO networks.

CODE-NGO will conduct the capacity building training for municipal lead organizers on July 9-10, 2012. This training is designed to improve the knowledge of the 20 municipal lead organizers in local governance process, i.e. planning and budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation; integrated development planning; constructive engagement; organizing and network building.

Through this Empowerment Project, the commitment to reducing poverty, ensuring good governance and promoting multi-stakeholder partnerships will have a strong foothold in achieving the participatory reform processes toward “matuwid na daan” (right/straight path). — By Mhafe Del Mundo, CODE-NGO Youth Coordinator