decentralization, cbms

POVERTY REDUCTION, DECENTRALIZATION, ��

��

AND COMMUNITY-BASED MONITORING SYSTEMS

Objectives Decentralization and its challenges

Poverty monitoring systems Role of CBMS

Concluding remarks

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION

Identifies the challenges brought about by decentralization

Examines the role of community-based monitoring systems in addressing the demand for more disaggregated data

on the different dimensions of poverty.

OBJECTIVES

Parallel to the poverty reduction efforts of many countries is the change in governance structure.

Decentralization has gained popularity within the last two decades.

Has been advocated and practiced in several countries in Asia.

Defined as the transfer of responsibility for planning, management and resource generation and allocation, from the central government and its agencies to lower levels of government.

DECENTRALIZATION

Seen as an alternative to provide public services in a more cost-effective way. Improve the delivery of services.

Make the government more responsive to the needs of the people.

Make local units more accountable to their constituents.

RATIONALE FOR DECENTRALIZATION

Passage of Local Government Code (LGC) in 1991 represented a major step in decentralization. Before the LGC, LGUs’ main functions were: a. Levying and collection of local taxes b. Regulation of business activities c. Administration of garbage collection, public cemeteries, public markets and slaughterhouses

The LGC paved the way for increased local autonomy, expenditure responsibility and revenue authority. Principal responsibility for the delivery of basic social services and the operation of the facilities were devolved to LGUs.

DECENTRALIZATION IN THE PHILIPPINES

Devolved areas are:

1. Agricultural extension and research

2. Social forestry

3. Environmental management and pollution control

4. Primary health and hospital care

5. Social welfare services

6. Repair and maintenance of infrastructure

7. Water supply and communal irrigation

8. Land use planning


LGUs were given taxing authority to be able to generate allotment that they get from the

National Government. A new scheme has been devised to determine the share of LGUs from the revenues collected by the national government and this is based

primarily on population and land size.


Decentralization brings decision-making closer to the people and consequently, may yield programs and services that better address local needs.

However, this requires sufficient and technical capacity on the part of local government units, as well as supporting institutional arrangements.

CHALLENGES OF DECENTRALIZATION

LGUs face greater challenges with the increased powers given to them: 1. Diagnose the problems 2. Identify appropriate interventions and identify target beneficiaries 3. Do their own planning and budgeting 4. Implement projects and programs 5. Assess their impacts

To carry out their mandated functions, it is necessary to have the relevant information. Institutionalizing a monitoring system at the local level is one of the more important challenges faced by local government units.


Planning units are mandated by the LGC to be operational in every province, city and municipality.

These planning units are tasked to prepare annual investment plans. But there are no clear guidelines on how the planning unit is supposed to carry out its functions.

Thus, we find large variations in the tasks performed by the planning units as well as the quality of the plans.

One of the more serious gaps is the lack of data that can be used in preparing the plans.


Existing poverty monitoring systems in many countries rely on national surveys and censuses conducted by the national statistical offices conducted every 3 or 5 years.

These are too infrequent to provide regular and updated information on the welfare status of the population.

Many of these surveys generate national and regional level estimates only.

What is needed is information disaggregated at the different geopolitical levels.

WEAKNESSES OF POVERTY MONITORING SYSTEMS

Generation of small area estimates 1. Requires linking census and survey data. 2. The extent of overlap between the two sources determines to a large extent how good the resulting estimates are. 3. Frequency of updating depends on the frequency of the survey.

INITIATIVES ON GENERATION OF MICRO LEVEL POVERTY STATISTICS

Poverty mapping

Through the use of some statistical techniques, poverty indicators are mapped for smaller areas. Problem is the difficulty in updating the poverty maps since censuses are conducted every 5 or 10 years.

Another alternative is the community-based monitoring system (CBMS).

INITIATIVES ON GENERATION OF MICRO LEVEL POVERTY STATISTICS

Started by MIMAP-Philippines Project in response to the need to monitor the impact of macroeconomic policies and shocks on the population.

MIMAP-CBMS is an organized way of collecting information at the local level for use of local government units, national government agencies, non-government organizations and civil society.

BACKGROUND OF CBMS

LGU-based

Taps people in the community (ex. LGU personnel, teachers, students) as monitors Has a core set of indicators

KEY FEATURES OF MIMAP-CBMS

LGU-based Adopts the concept of mobilizing and

developing the capability of communities for data generation and utilization.

Reports the data collected to higher geopolitical level for immediate intervention and ultimately reaches macroeconomic planners in order to influence adjustment programs.

Utilizes the information generated by other monitoring systems already in place as a support.

Creates and maintains databank at each geopolitical level.


Taps existing LGU personnel as monitors

Local personnel do the data collection, processing and analysis of the data.

Has a core set of indicators

Based on multi-dimensional aspects of poverty.

Confined largely to output and impact indicators.

Can accommodate community-specific indicators to reflect other concerns of the community.


Pilot-tested in two barangays in Pandi, Bulacan A second round was conducted in 1999 to analyze

the impact of 1997 Asian financial crisis and El Niño phenomenon.

Implemented province-wide in Palawan. Implemented in 7 out of 12 municipalities in

Camarines Norte. Discussions are on-going for the replication of CBMS work in the province of Bulacan, in the cities of Mandaue, Makati and Pasay and the remaining 5 municipalities of Camarines Norte.

CBMS EXPERIENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES

At the national level, the CBMS work has led to the issuance by the DILG of a

memorandum circular advocating for the institutionalization of a CBMS and the adoption of the CBMS core indicators.

Following, the successful implementation of

MIMAP-CBMS in the Philippines, several initiatives in other countries were undertaken

under the MIMAP Program.

CBMS EXPERIENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES

Background Decentralization measures in Nepal allow local initiatives and development interventions to be conceived, designed and implemented at the

lowest political unit.

These create demand for local level information. The available source of information is Nepal Living Standards Survey, which is conducted

every five years.

It does not provide for district level statistics.

CBMS IN NEPAL

In addressing the problem, MIMAP Project in Nepal started to implement

information gathering at the local level. Sixty-two (62) indicators are collected through focus group discussion at the

ward level At present, CBMS is being

operationalized in five districts in Nepal.

CBMS IN NEPAL

Background Decentralization measures in Vietnam provide

authorities to local leaders to deliver services in their respective territories.

These create demand for information at the local level.

Existing sources of information provide data on income alone.

Data is difficult to synthesize at the national level. Identification of poor households has room for

subjectivity.

CBMS IN VIETNAM

CBMS was implemented to address these problems. Local people themselves collect information from the

households. Aside from income, other relevant information relating

to other aspects of poverty is also collected. Data is available at the village and commune levels These can be used immediately by local people in

development planning and poverty monitoring.

CBMS IN VIETNAM

In Asia

Pilot tested in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

Implementation is in progress in Pakistan, Lao PDR , India and Cambodia

In Africa:

CBMS work is ongoing in Burkina Faso and Senegal

Work has started in Ghana and Benin

OTHER CBMS INITIATIVES IN ASIA AND AFRICA

Many countries now recognize the emerging demands for data brought about by the changing structures and policies in Asia. Decentralization creates demand for local data

CBMS has been institutionalized or pilot tested in selected countries in Asia to address these demands for

data.

National statistical offices cannot provide all the information needed due to resource constraints.

They can assume a coordinative and oversight role particularly on CBMS implementation.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

While poverty reduction remains to be a national concern, decentralization has shifted greater

responsibility to the local government units to carry out the policies and programs.

Community Base Monitoring System (CBMS) enables the local government to formulate policies and programs more responsive to the needs of the

people.

CBMS increases the capacity of LGUs to meet the challenge of improving the lives of their constituents.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

decentralization, cbms

Education