Unicef, DBM ink pact on gov’t monitoring and evaluation systems

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and Unicef Philippines Representative Lotta Sylwander shake hands after signing the memorandum of agreement. PHOTO BY UNICEF PHILIPPINES

MANILA, Philippines–The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to strengthen monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacities in government toward establishing a national results-based M&E system.

The Unicef-DBM partnership seeks to strengthen M&E capacity of national government agencies in support of mainstreaming performance-informed budgeting (PIB) in Government for economic and social development.

The PIB approach links public expenditure and results for better accountability, as well as increased efficiency and effectiveness to attain targets set forth in the current Philippine Development Plan (PDP, 2011-2016) and Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

“We endeavor to enhance the capacity of government in ensuring that M&E is in place in national policies and systems for more effective and efficient allocation of resources, especially for Filipino children,” said Lotta Sylwander, Unicef Philippines Representative.

“Our partnership with Unicef will give us access to new knowledge to help refine performance-informed budgeting as a key strategy to building a whole new culture in governance,” said DBM Secretary Florencio Abad.

Under the MoA, Unicef will provide technical assistance in developing a competency-based M&E module, conducting training workshops for DBM and key national government agencies, and strengthening M&E policies and systems.

Aside from DBM and the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), the MoA identifies other pilot agencies, namely, the Departments of Education, Health, Social Welfare and Development, Interior and Local Government, Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, Public Works and Highways, and Transportation and Communication.