By Emmanuel D. Taghoy
ROSELLER T. LIM, Zamboanga Sibugay – The provincial focal person of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) was here yesterday to monitor and evaluate the implementation of Bottoms-Up Budgeting (BUB) projects with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), one of the implementing agencies.
Four farmers’ associations and one cooperative, all recipients of seedlings distributed by DENR-Sibugay from the BUB funds, were initially inspected and evaluated.
“The evaluation and monitoring seeks to find out whether the projects implemented by the participating agencies have addressed the real needs and concerns of the people in the community, thus, reducing poverty incidence in the area,” said NAPC Provincial Focal Person Edgar N. Alegre.
“About P15 million was allotted for each municipality every year from the BUB, which has been changed into Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (GPB), for projects in the year 2014 onwards intended for the populace in the grassroots level,” explained Alegre.
Alegre pointed out that it is important for implementing agencies of the BUB projects to be transparent in their financial accountabilities and candid in their delivery of services.
Meanwhile, interviewed farmers’ associations expressed gratitude to the DENR for the assorted seedlings distributed to them. They said they were satisfied with the project since farming is their main source of living.
About 266 hectares identified for the DENR’s National Greening Program (NGP) in R.T. Lim town were covered by the BUB project for the year 2013.
According to Alegre, the evaluation and monitoring for the other implementing agencies will also commence this month.