The Bottom-up Budgeting (BUB) aims to ensure that funding requirements for the development needs of municipalities and cities are included in agency budget proposals. It promotes inclusive participation in community development by empowering civil society organizations (CSOs) to be engaged in the budgeting process. This Policy Note presents the results of a process assessment of the BUB in Quezon Province. It was part of a bigger study, commissioned by the Department of Budget and Management to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, that covered 12 municipalities and cities in four provinces representing Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The two main components of the BUB process are the CSO assembly and the Local Poverty Reduction Action Plan workshop. To encourage participation of the CSOs in the assembly and workshop, the study recommends CSOs to be informed well in advance by sending them invitations ahead of time and giving them ample time to consult with their members and prepare for the BUB activities. CSOs should also be capacitated on leadership skills, project proposal development, monitoring, and getting accreditation to be better equipped in engaging with the LGUs and other CSOs.