Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 4048

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO
AND JOCELYN P. TULFO

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT
APPROACH AS A NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH AND
SOCIAL PROTECTION, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF

EXPLANATORY NOTE

According to the World Health Organization, community empowerment refers
to the process of enabling communities to increase control over their lives. More than
the involvement, participation, or engagement of communities, it implies community
ownership and action that explicitly aims at social and political change.

The promotion of active citizen participation and the inclusion of basic sectors
remain underlying cornerstones for deeper democratization and augmentation of an
inclusive and sustainable Philippine society. When citizens responsibly engage in
decision-making processes and participate in the crafting of social protection
measures, these communities build partnerships with other sectors in finding
solutions that address social, cultural, political, and economic issues.

We recognize that the vital participation of communities allows for the
formulation of genuine development catered to advance their respective conditions
and recognizes their essential function in contributing to national initiatives,
programs, and policies for their collective demands and aspirations. In this regard,
their empowerment robustly and equitably enables them to become active
participants rather than passive recipients of aid and development at large, which
foster social justice and strengthen democratic processes and institutions in the

country.

We aim to ignite a transformative movement, empowering every citizen and
community to understand the interplay of forces operating on their lives. In the
relentless pursuit of inclusive progress, this proposed measure pioneers the
institutionalization of the community-driven development (CDD) approach, paving


the way for a revolutionary era of grassroots empowerment. At the heart of this
visionary legislation lies the establishment of the CDD Knowledge and Resource
Institution which will facilitate the capacity-building of community members.
Through unwavering dedication, we champion the principles of meaningful
participation, robust governance, and unwavering democracy, forging a brighter
future for the Philippines.

In view of the foregoing, the urgent passing of this bill is earnestly sought.

Sn

RALPH WENDfL P. TULFO JOCEL'
Representative Represefitative,
2nd District of Quezon City ACT-CIS Partyfist


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.4048

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO
AND JOCELYN P. TULFO

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT
APPROACH AS A NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH AND
SOCIAL PROTECTION, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Institutionalization
of the Community-Driven Development (CDD) Approach Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies. - It is the policy of the State to uplift the
standard of living and quality of life of the poor and provide sustained opportunities
for growth and development. The State also recognizes that the right of the people
and their organizations to effective and reasonable participation at all levels of social,
political, and economic decision-making shall not be abridged. The State shall
facilitate the establishment of adequate consultation mechanisms.

To this end, and in pursuit of good governance, sustainable and inclusive
growth, and poverty reduction, the State shall enact programs that provide
opportunities for community members particularly the poor, vulnerable, and
marginalized to effectively participate in designing, planning, budgeting,
implementing, monitoring, and evaluating community programs, activities, and
projects.

Further, the State shall provide capability building opportunities for local
government units, civil society organizations, and communities to ensure the proper
use of the CDD approach in implementing local programs, projects, and activities.


SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:

(a) Basic sectors refer to the disadvantaged sectors of Philippine society
including farmer-peasants, fisherfolk, workers in the formal sector,
migrant workers, workers in the informal sector, indigenous peoples and
cultural communities, women, persons with disability, senior citizens,
victims of calamities and disasters, youth and students, children, urban
poor, and members of cooperatives;

©

Community-based programs refer to programs, activities, or projects that are
designed, planned, organized and implemented locally by community
members or groups to address community-identified plans and needs;

©

Community-driven development (CDD) refers to an approach that gives
control over the development process, decision-making, and resources to
community members or groups and treats people as assets and partners in
the development process while building on their institutions and resources;
and

(a) Community empowerment refers to a process of enabling groups to increase
control over the factors and decisions that shape their lives, including
assets and attributes, partners, networks, and voice.

SEC. 4. Elements of CDD. - The CDD approach, through the principles of
participation, transparency, and accountability, has the following elements:

(a) Community focus wherein programs or projects put primacy on a group of
people living in a particular locality or geographical area such as a
barangay, ancestral domain, or specific subsets thereof, where interventions
are implemented;

(b) Participatory planning wherein the process directly involves the community
members, leaders, and other stakeholders in diagnosing local problems and
designing a course of action to resolve those problems, and aims to
harmonize views among all of participants and provide opportunities for
the engagement especially of the marginalized groups;

(©) Community control of resources wherein the utilization and management of
the resources by the community members or groups are based on
community-identified plans and needs;

(4) Community-managed implementation wherein the execution, monitoring, and
contract management of community-identified projects are performed by


community members or groups, with assistance from the local government
units (LGUs) and other local partners;

(e) Participatory monitoring and evaluation wherein the process through which
members at various levels of the community engage in monitoring and
evaluating a program or policy, share control over the content, the process
and the results of the monitoring and evaluation activity, and participate in
identifying and making corrective actions; and

(© Operation and Maintenance, and Sustainability wherein the community
participates in the operation and maintenance of the community-identified
project, ensuring sustainability not only of the project itself but also of the
elements and principles of the CDD approach.

SEC. 5. Institutionalization of the CDD Approach. - National government
agencies (NGAs) and departments, including their attached agencies, offices, bureaus,
other government instrumentalities, and LGUs shall adopt the CDD approach in their
community-based programs to promote participation and empowerment of poor,
vulnerable, disadvantaged, and marginalized groups within communities.

SEC. 6. Operationalization of the CDD Approach, - NGAs and LGUs in
community-based programs shall be responsible for:

(a) Developing policies for enhancing participatory governance practices,
tapping community organizations particularly the basic sectors, and
responding to community needs;

Providing information on government intervention, technical assistance
iB gi
and support to partner communities for more effective community-driven
planning and implementation;

(©) Enabling community members to meaningfully participate in the whole
process;

(d) Ensuring that community members are prioritized, to the extent possible,
in receiving employment opportunities brought about by project
implementation at the communities;

(©) Ensuring that identified community priorities are sufficiently funded;
()) Ensuring participation of civil society organizations (CSOs) as partners in

organizing and strengthening communities, and implementing
community-based programs, activities, and projects, and


(g) Creating a Community-Driven Development team that shall ensure full
operationalization of the CDD approach within their respective agencies
and LGUs.

SEC. 7. Role of Civil Society Organizations and the Academe. Accredited CSOs
and academic institutions are encouraged to participate in community activities,
specifically by:

(a) Facilitating the community empowerment processes;

(b) Providing continuous capability building and technology transfers to LGUs
and communities;

(©) Conducting third party monitoring and evaluation of capability building
and empowerment of LGUs and communities; and

(d) Providing additional funding or collaborating with partners or donors to
implement capacity building and empowerment of LGUs and
communities.

For purposes of this section, the CDD community of practice refers to a
community of CDD practitioners composed of agencies, Non-Government
Organizations (NGOs), academic and research institutions, and individuals, that
share the commitment and passion for CDD, and together strive to advance its
practice through regular and purposive interaction.

SEC. 8. Incentives. - The exemplary use of the CDD approach by NGAs and
LGUs shall be considered as a significant criterion for the recognition given to LGUs
such as the Seal of Good Local Governance by the Department of the Interior and
Local Government (DILG) and other similar awards and recognitions granted by
NGAs.

SEC. 9. Advisory Council. - An Advisory Council on CDD Institutionalization
is created to develop policies relative to the implementation of this Act.

The Advisory Council is composed of the following:
(a) Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, as chairperson;

(b) Secretary of Interior and Local Government, as co-chairperson;

(©) Representatives from the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC),

National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), National
Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), National Economic and

6


Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Budget and Management
(DBM), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform
(DAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),
Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), and
Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD); and

(d) National Presidents of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), League
of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), and Liga ng mga Barangay as
members.

The representatives include the secretaries of the agencies as the officially
designated permanent members and designated undersecretaries as alternate
representatives.

The Advisory Council shall have, as additional members, representatives of
reputable and accredited CDD NGOs which shall constitute not less than one-fourth
(4) of the members of the Advisory Council, and shall be appointed by the Advisory
Council to serve for three (3) years from the date of their appointment. Thereafter, the
representatives shall be selected from and appointed by the CDD community of
practice.

Advisory councils at the regional levels are also established with the regional
directors of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and DILG,
as chairperson and co-chairperson, respectively, and representatives from the regional
offices of NAPC, NCIP, NCME, NEDA, DBM, DA, DAR, DENR, DOH, DepEd,
DHSUD, LMP, LCP, Liga ng mga Barangay, and from accredited NGOs, as members.

SEC. 10. Functions of Advisory Council, - The Advisory Council shall have the
following functions:

(a) Meet regularly to promote coordination among agencies to enhance and
promote the use of the CDD approach;

(b) Formulate and issue relevant policies to ensure the effective and efficient
use of implementation of CDD and its principles;

(©) Implement an incentives program to enhance and promote the use of the
CDD approach by NGAs and LGUs;

(d) Implement a grievance redress mechanism that accepts and resolves
complaints pertaining to the implementation of this Act;

(e) Provide the monitoring and assessment report on the implementation of
this Act, post the same on the DSWD website, and submit an annual report
to the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee; and

7


(8) Recommend to the President of the Philippines measures and policies for
the responsive delivery of commitments under this Act and integration into
the general poverty reduction strategy of the National Government.

SEC. 11. Implementing Agencies, ~

(a) DSWD as lead agency. - As lead agency for the implementation of this Act,
the DSWD shall serve as the central coordinating, capability building, technical
assistance, and monitoring agency for this Act.

The DSWD shall, through the Kapit-bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive
and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) National Program
Management Office, integrate in their regular operations the following functions:

i) Ensure effective compliance and implementation of this Act;

ii) Facilitate support to empower community members to participate in
the local development processes and to strengthen community
capabilities to engage LGUs, NGAs, and other stakeholders to support
community-identified priorities; and

iii) Provide technical assistance and resource augmentation including
but not limited to ensuring integration of municipal development plans
into provincial development plans.

The DSWD, through its existing facility referred to as the DSWD Social Welfare
and Development Learning Institute/DSWD Academy and in coordination with the
DSWD KALAHI-CIDSS National Program Management Office, shall:

i) Lead the research, development, and implementation of new and
improved CDD mechanisms to adapt to the ever-changing needs of
communities;

ii) Institutionalize capability building and learning on CDD for NGAs,
CSOs, private sector institutions, and other partners; and

iii) Establish the CDD resource pool, a group of experts on CDD
principles and implementation who possess expertise in CDD to co-
develop the certification and accreditation programs and other learning
and development requirements of the staff, partners, and other
stakeholders.


Further, the DSWD shall also accredit CSOs to become partners in the use of
CDD approach.

(b) DILG as a key partner in capability building. - The DILG shall support the
capability building of LGUs and communities. The DILG shall also ensure the
horizontal and vertical alignment and linkages of barangay and city or municipal
development plans.

(©) NAPC as a key partner in mobilizing the basic sectors. ~ The NAPC shall be a
key partner agency in the development of policies and measures to ensure meaningful
representation and active participation of the basic sectors in their local development.

(d) Support from relevant government agencies. - All relevant bureaus, offices,
agencies, and instrumentalities of the government shall render the necessary support
to the implementation of this Act.

The various government agencies identified under this Act and the concerned
LGUs shall implement this Act using the whole-of-government approach, which
provides a logical and systematic convergence of efforts of NGAs and LGUs to
respond to the identified community needs, issues, concerns, and priorities.

SEC. 12. Regular Monitoring and Reporting. - The DSWD shall, through the
Advisory Council, conduct quarterly monitoring of the implementation of this Act
and submit an annual report of its status to the Office of the President and to the Joint
Congressional Oversight Committee. The report must also be regularly posted on a
dedicated DSWD website and updated for the public’s information. A process
assessment shall be conducted by DSWD once every three years, the results of which
shall be utilized to stimulate more program lessons exchange, experience sharing,
public dialogues, policy discussions and generating inputs for program design works
on CDD. Mechanisms for promoting third-party monitoring and evaluation of this
Act by NGOs and CSOs, together with community members and LGUs, shall also be
established.

SEC. 13. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. - A Joint Congressional
Oversight Committee, hereafter referred to as the Oversight Committee, is hereby
constituted. The Oversight Committee shall set the overall framework to review the
implementation of this Act. It shall also determine the inherent weaknesses in the law
and recommend the necessary remedial legislation or executive measures.

The Oversight Committee is composed of fourteen (14) members, with the
chairpersons of the Committee on Poverty Alleviation of the House of
Representatives, and the Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural
Development of the Senate as co-chairpersons; and six (6) members with
representation from the minority of both Houses, to be designated by the Speaker of
the House of Representatives and the Senate President, respectively.

9


The review of the implementation of this Act must include a systematic
evaluation of its impact, accomplishments of the program, and performance of its
implementing agencies. The Oversight Committee shall conduct the review every
three (3) years reckoned from the effectivity of this Act, or whenever deemed
necessary by a majority of the members of the Oversight Committee.

SEC. 14. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations
of the Department and agencies concerned. Thereafter, such amount shall be included
in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within six (6) months from
the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development shall, in
coordination with national government agency members of the Human Development
and Poverty Reduction Cluster, with the participation of the league of barangays,
cities, municipalities, and provinces, and relevant stakeholders, promulgate the rules
and regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 16. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid
or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and
subsisting.

SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the
provisions of this Act are repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

10