The Local Government Unit of Roxas, Isabela throw a first in terms of implementation of projects under the Bottom up Budgeting (BuB) scheme.

Different sectors of the society benefited from the Livelihood Skills Training Project of DSWD as implemented by the Municipality of Roxas under BuB, namely: youth sector, women sector, Persons with Disabilities and older persons.

“I congratulate the Local Poverty Reduction Action Team (LPRAT) of Roxas for operationalizing convergence strategy in the implementation of BuB projects,” said OIC Regional Director of DSWD FO 02 Ponciana P. Condoy during the graduation ceremony for the beneficiaries of the different livelihood skills training.

She added that it is a first considering that various sectors of the society participated in the skills training compared to the standard set up where a particular sector of the community is the beneficiary of a project.

Meanwhile, Mayor Benedict Calderon encouraged the beneficiaries to nurture the skills they acquired, citing that “government funds through BuB were allocated for livelihood skills training so that y may be able to support your own families.”

Through convergence, DSWD and LGU of Roxas forged strong partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for the provision of livelihood skills training to the beneficiaries.

Among the skills training provided were Information Technology and Literacy Program, Balloon and Flower Arrangement, Meat Processing, Hair Cutting, Manicure and Pedicure, Tomato Sauce Making, Silk Screen Printing, Meads Making, Candle Making and Dress Making and Tailoring.

Bottom up Budgeting, formerly known as Grassroots Participatory Budgeting, is an approach in formulating budget proposal of national government agencies taking into consideration the development needs of poor municipalities as identified in their respective Local Poverty Reduction Action Plan (LPRAP) formulated with strong participation of national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), civil society organizations (CSOs) and people’s organizations.

In the implementation of BUB-funded programs, the participating agencies and stakeholders are guided by the principle of convergence wherein all  government and private interventions are   complemented and coordinated to attain the millennium development goal of reducing poverty. ### By: GELA FLOR R. PEREZ, Regional Information Officer II