Organization
Sangguniang Bayan of Paracale
Best Practice Focus Area/s
Leadership, Strategy, Citizens / Customers
Year Implemented
10 October 2016
Summary
The Municipal Government of Paracale implemented the Paracale People’s Consultative Council (PPCC) to establish a structure open to partnering with duly accredited Paracale-based people and non-government organizations in conceptualizing, crafting, and drafting ordinances and resolutions. The PPCC convenes every month and attends public hearings and committee meetings to participate in discussions about timely issues, critique and evaluate existing legislation and initiatives, and recommend better legislative outputs. As a result, the PPCC has enabled the local government to develop and execute effective and efficient responses to the needs and preferences of the people.
Background and Problem
The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) has observed that there is an increasing number of accredited socially concerned organizations and associations in Paracale. Notably, there were 27 NGOs and POs identified to date, with members coming from the vulnerable sectors and the fringes of society. In light of this opportunity and their responsibility to further improve their service, the Sangguniang Bayan took advantage of it, hence the PPCC was born.
Solution and Impact
The purpose of the Paracale People’s Consultative Council (PPCC) is to establish a structure whereby the private sector, through the NGOs and POs may get involved and actively participate in the conception, formulation and evaluation of the LGU legislative activities as a guiding approach for effective and productive social and economic programs for the community.
During the deliberation at the Sangguniang Bayan, the PPCC representatives, as the primary stakeholder of the presented legislation (bill), scrutinize resolutions and ordinances, considering their needs and preferences. The PPCC also compiles their resolutions as they convene at their council meetings, addressing timely issues that need immediate legislative action from the Sangguniang Bayan. The PPCC also conducts monthly rotational meetings where a host NGO and PO resides. The drafted legislative documents are presented to the respective SB committees, where the related pieces of the draft legislation are being debated on for approval.
On the other hand, the Sangguniang Bayan must accredit the POs and NGOs to be a part of the legislative activities. The committee on NGOs and POs processes the application for accreditation and monitoring in compliance with the conditions for accreditation. The SB, however, in consultation with PPCC may impose other requirements and conditions as deemed necessary. Once SB-accredited, the NGO/PO will automatically become a member of the PPCC, and said membership is valid until the end of a term of the present elected officials of the Sangguniang Bayan.
The PPCC is entitled to three (3) seats in the legislative activities, such as the regular SB sessions, committee meetings, and public hearings. As the number of NGOs and POs grows, it is assured that their long-term partnership with the local government will bear the fruits of policies passed and planned in collaboration with the PPCC.
Milestones/Next Steps
The adoption of a People’s Consultative Council was pioneered in Paracale among the twelve (12) municipalities of Camarines Norte. Twenty-seven (27) Paracale-based NGOs and POs, active members of the PPCC, have been accredited with the Sangguniang Bayan from 1 July 2019 to the present.
Since the adoption of the PPCC on 10 October 2016, the LGU has supported it with budget allocations for the host-NGO and PO during rotational monthly meetings, catering services for the quarterly meetings hosted by the Sanggunian, capability enhancement training activities, and honoraria for PPCC members attending committee meetings or public hearings. In 2020 the budget for PPCC activities amounted to One Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 150,000.00); this fund allocation ensured the sustained participation of the council in the Sangguniang Bayan’s committee hearings, public consultations, and other legislative activities.
The next step of the Sangguniang Bayan is to encourage the mainstreaming of the PPCC at the barangay level for barangay governance to be more effective and beneficial to constituents. In line with this goal, the SB hopes to prioritize the development of an easy step-by-step process of accreditation, user-friendly forms, and a basic information dissemination strategy encouraging the newly registered NGOs and POs to consider applying for accreditation.