Administrative Order No. 291




MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES [ ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 291, September 26, 1996 ] ADOPTING THE GENERAL GUIDELINES IN TRACKING THE ALLOCATION AND UTILIZATION OF VARIOUS TYPES OF RESOURCES COMMITTED TO THE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS UNDER THE SOCIAL REFORM AGENDA WHEREAS, the Social Reform Agenda (SRA) sets the framework and direction for the efforts of all sectors of Philippine Society to improve access to quality basic services, accelerate asset reform and sustainable development of productive resources and allow greater access to economic opportunities, and strengthen institution-building and participation in governance of Basic Sectors nationwide; WHEREAS, the SRA has defined convergence as the focusing and synchronization of resources, services, and interventions by SRA Flagship Programs and other agencies/entities on specific target families and communities, using the Minimum Basic Needs (MBN) Approach as the strategy for convergence, and providing for multi-level, multi-sectoral and inter-agency coordination and consultation, as embodied in Proclamation No. 548 (series of 1995) Administrative Order No. 194 (series of 1995) and Executive Order No. 356 (series of 1996); WHEREAS, there is an urgent to institutionalize, from existing systems and mechanisms, a comprehensive and decentralized tracking of the allocation and utilization of various types of resources committed to the programs and projects under the Social Reform Agenda in order to respond to problems that are confronted in the implementation of SRA projects and programs; WHEREAS, this has been partially effected through the adoption of an official definition of SRA programs and projects under Proclamation No. 547 (series of 1995); NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order the adoption of this General Guidelines in tracking the allocation and utilization of resources committed to the Social Reform Agenda (SRA) programs and projects at all levels, as follows: Section 1. Objectives. All National Agencies, Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) and Local Government Units are hereby directed to adopt and implement the General Guidelines in tracking the allocation and utilization of various resources committed to SRA to ensure that these are utilization of various resources committed SRA to ensure that these are synchronized and complementary to effectively implement various flagship programs and projects nationwide. Section 2. Scope and Coverage. National, regional and local SRA Flagship programs and projects shall cover those that have been stipulated in the Integrated National Action Agenda on Anti-Poverty adopted during the National Anti-Poverty Summit on 20 March 1996, the Implementing Guidelines of the Convergence Policy (AO 194) and Institutional Arrangements to Fast-Track SRA Localization (EO 356). Specially, these programs and projects, particularly those in the Convergence Areas and in the fifth and sixth class municipalities nationwide, shall address the following: a) Minimum Basic Needs (MBN) that address the concerns of the poor families and communities; b) Basic Reform Commitments (BRC) that address specific needs of the Basic Sectors; c) Ecological Security Commitments (ESC) that address the environment concerns of the various types of ecosystems. Section 3. Synergy of Existing Resources Tracking Mechanisms. All National Government Agencies (NGA) and Local Government Units (LGUs) shall submit their respective Consolidated Quarterly Reports as defined in Attachment A of this General Guidelines and based on the existing monitoring mechanisms adopted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), respectively, to track the allocation and utilization of specific types of resources committed to SRA: a. For tracking locally-funded SRA programs and projects under the General Appropriations Act (GAA), the Consolidated Performance Report shall be used. This shall be coordinated by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). b. For tracking foreign funds programmed and utilized for SRA programs and projects under Official Development Assistance (ODA), the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the ODA Act (RA 8182) and the Regional Project Monitoring and Evaluation System (RPMES) shall be used. This shall be coordinate by the DILG. Section 4. Consolidation and Submission of Quarterly Reports. Quarterly reports from the LGUs, various agencies/organization and units shall be prepared and submitted as follows: Local Government Units Consolidated Quarterly Reports. a. The LGU Consolidated Quarterly Reports shall be prepared by the SRA Provincial/City Technical Working Group and submitted, with the endorsement of the Local Chief Executive, to the DILG starting December 1996. It shall contain the status of utilization of various types of resources, particularly the twenty (20) percent Development Fund under the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) and the agency budgets intended for specific local SRA Flagship projects and outputs desegregated by geographical (municipal and barangay) and basic sectoral allocations. b. The DILG shall then prepare and submit the Consolidated Reports to the SRA Regional Technical Working Group for integration. ODA, Regional Agency and GOCC Consolidated Quarterly Reports. a. In addition to their Central Offices, Regional Agencies and GOCC Field Offices shall submit their Quarterly Reports to the DBM Regional Office and SRA Regional Technical Working group (RTWG) for consolidation staring December 1996. The report shall contain the status of utilization of various types of resources intended for specific SRA Flagship projects and outputs desegregated by geographical (provincial, city and municipality) and basic sectoral allocations. b. All National Government Agencies and GOCCs, particularly the SRA Flagship Champion and Support Agencies shall direct all their respective regional and/or provincial offices to prepare and submit the required quarterly reports. Consolidation of Regional Quarterly Reports The SRA Regional Technical Working Group shall consolidate the LGU, ODA, Regional Agency and GOCC quarterly reports.ℒαwρhi৷ These shall be submitted, with the endorsement of the RDC Chair and/or Cabinet Officer for Regional Development (CORD), to the Resource Mobilization Cluster of the Social Reform Council, DBM, NEDA and the DILG Central Offices. National Agency and GOCC Central Offices Quarterly Reports. All National Government Agencies and GOCC, particularly the SRA Flagship Champion and Support Agencies, shall submit their Quarterly Consolidated Reports- including those submitted by their regional/provincial offices- to the Technical Working Group for Resource Tracking under the SRA. The report shall contain the status of utilization of various types of resources intended for specific SRA Flagship projects and outputs desegregated by geographical (provincial, city and municipality) and basic sectoral allocations. DBM, DILG, NEDA Central-Local Coordination The Central Offices of the DBM, NEDA and DILG shall direct their respective regional/local offices to coordinate the generation, completion and consolidation of reports among concerned agencies and LGUs. They shall ensure that these agencies and LGUs shall integrate SRA Resource Tracking into their central and local reporting and information-generation systems. The RM-TWG shall coordinate the setting-up and operationalization of the SRA Resource Tracking database system nationwide. Section 5. Institutional Arrangements. Resource Tracking Oversight Committee (RM-OvCom). a. The Social Reform Council shall designate, from among its government officials and sectoral representatives, those who will serve as members of the Resource Tracking Oversight Committee. The SRA Lead Convenor shall designate the Chair of the Committee. b. The Committee shall regularly update the President on the status of resources for SRA programs and projects. It shall also issue supplemental guidelines as may be required with the concurrence of the SRA lead Convenor. Technical Working Group for Resource Tracking (RM-TWG). a. A Technical Oversight Committee for resource Tracking shall be created with members of the Resource Mobilization Cluster under the SRA National Technical Working Group, DILG, PCFPK, MRP and SRC Secretariat as members. b. The Group shall ensure effective national and local coordination on resource tracking, provide technical assistance and shall recommend to the Oversight Committee supplemental guidelines as may be required. Section 6. Resource Tracking as Part of the Performance Contracts. The tracking of various types of resources under the SRA shall form part of the performance contracts concerned Heads of various agencies and LGUs. Section 7. Funding. Funding requirements for tracking the allocation and utilization of various types of resources committed to the programs and projects under the Social Reform Agenda for the remainder of 1996 shall be sourced by DBM subject to the submission of a special budget by the DILG and NEDA to be endorsed by the SRC Lead Convenor for the approval of the President. Funds shall be released directly to the SRC Secretariat and shall be subject to pertinent COA rules and regulations. Thereafter, funding requirements of the Resource Allocation and Utilization Tracking System shall be provided in the General Appropriations Act and shall be integrated into the regular budget of the concerned agencies. Section 8. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately. DONE in the City of Manila, this 26 day of Sept, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Six. (Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS President of the Philippines By the President: (Sgd.) RUBEN D. TORRES Executive Secretary The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation