WHAT IS PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING?

 WHAT IS PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING?

Everything in the Philippine government eventually traces back to the national budget, or what we formally call the General Appropriations Act (GAA). Without money, there can be no policies, no programs, and no projects. This makes the budget the single most important expression of government priorities.

In theory, our district representatives—yes, the congressmen we elect—are supposed to consult us about what should be in the budget. After all, they are our voice in Congress. In reality, though, such consultations rarely happen. Perhaps it is too naïve to expect them to knock on doors and ask us: “What do you want funded this year?” But here’s the irony—mechanisms already exist for them to do exactly that.

They could organize town hall meetings in their districts. And if distance or logistics is the issue, we now live in an era of Zoom calls, Facebook Live, and online surveys. Consultation is not rocket science anymore; it just requires political will. On top of this, marginalized sectors have the option to consult either their party-list representatives or the government agencies preparing their budgets for congressional scrutiny. In short, the infrastructure for participation is already there.

This brings us to the concept of participatory budgeting (PB). In simple terms, PB is a democratic process where citizens—not just officials—help decide how part of a public budget should be spent. Instead of merely reacting to government projects after the fact, communities propose, deliberate, and even vote on which projects get funded. Imagine voting not just for people during elections, but also for projects that directly affect your neighborhood—like fixing a footbridge, building a daycare center, or putting up a community garden.

The core principles of PB are worth emphasizing. First is transparency, since budget discussions should be open. Second is inclusion, ensuring that marginalized voices are heard. Third is deliberation, where citizens don’t just vote but also discuss priorities and trade-offs. Finally, there is empowerment, giving communities a real sense of ownership over their development.

How does it work? Typically, a local government sets aside a portion of its budget for PB. Citizens submit project ideas, which are then refined with technical support to ensure feasibility. Afterwards, the community votes, and the winning proposals get implemented by the LGU. That’s democracy in action—tangible, concrete, and visible.

Has this happened in the Philippines? Yes, but unevenly. Barangay Assemblies and Local Development Councils are supposed to provide avenues for participatory planning under the Local Government Code of 1991. More recently, the Bottom-up Budgeting (BuB) program launched in 2013 gave civil society and barangays a chance to propose anti-poverty projects. It was hailed as a breakthrough in grassroots participation. We also have Budget Partnership Agreements (BPAs), which formalize collaboration between agencies and civil society groups, and the Citizens’ Participatory Audit (CPA), where CSOs help the Commission on Audit review government projects.

These efforts even earned the Philippines global recognition. At one point, we ranked 5th worldwide in the Open Budget Survey’s public engagement pillar—a sign that citizen participation is possible.

But challenges remain. Too many participatory budgeting initiatives are pilot-based or ad hoc, without long-term institutionalization. Local politics often dilutes genuine participation, with projects still driven by patronage. Worse, many citizens either don’t know they can participate, or they don’t trust the process enough to bother showing up. Even when projects are approved, bureaucratic delays or funding bottlenecks often derail implementation.

So here’s the question: are we making the most out of the mechanisms already in place? It’s easy to call for budget reform or procurement reform, but maybe the starting point is simpler: let us first use the spaces that already exist. We can attend barangay assemblies, organize NGOs to act as procurement observers, or push our LGUs to set aside real funds for participatory budgeting.

Citizens often say, “let’s keep watch on Congress and Malacañang.” That’s true—but keeping watch should not mean passive observation. It should mean active participation. A watchful citizenry can demand accountability, yes, but a participatory citizenry can shape priorities from the start.

Participatory budgeting is not a magic wand. It will not solve corruption overnight. But it can build trust, enhance accountability, and make governance more efficient. At its heart, PB is about returning power to where it truly belongs—in the hands of the people.

The challenge, then, is both for the government and citizens. The government must open the doors wider, institutionalize the mechanisms, and provide real funding. Citizens, for their part, must walk through those doors, show up at consultations, and insist that their voices be heard.

Otherwise, we remain stuck in the cycle where budgets are written far away, behind closed doors, and for priorities we never agreed to. And that, my friends, is a budget that is public in name but private in practice.

So perhaps the next time your barangay or city hall calls for a consultation, instead of ignoring it, you might ask yourself: if I don’t show up, who will decide where my taxes go?

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, senseneres.blogspot.com 

01-21-2026