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This 6th issue of TPA Now shares an original first-hand account of a citizen monitoring initiative covering the biggest poverty reduction program in the Philippines, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the lessons that can be learned from the initiative by practitioners, researchers and donors supporting social accountability.
This paper presents the findings of G-Watch monitoring on whether and how citizen engagement and accountability mechanisms of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) have remained active despite the pandemic. The research involved reviewing relevant loan documents with the World Bank to establish whether loans entered into by the government for 4Ps included prescribed citizen engagement and accountability mechanisms.
This report presents G-Watch’s multi-level scanning of the state of implementation of the government’s COVID -19 vaccination program at the national and local levels within the first few months of the rollout. While there have been status reports of aggregated data at the national level, there has been a gap of consolidated independent information on what is happening in the vaccination efforts on the ground.
This report presents the findings of G-Watch independent validation of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) specifically in four (4) barangays of Marawi City and 1 barangay of Maguing, Lanao del Sur. Conducted in May to July 2020, the result of the field survey by accountability frontliners of G-Watch Marawi showed key gaps and challenges in the delivery of social assistance in Lanao del Sur. Non-compliance to standards were persistent, specifically the mandated process of filling-up the social amelioration card and the expected time the cash assistance was to be received.
This TPA Now paper, the 5th in the series, answers what “youth-led” means based on existing literature and insights from G-Watch youth organizing work. It examines whether the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) response to the COVID-19 pandemic have been truly youth-led and indicative of reform gains from the SK Reform Law.
On February 14 to 16, 2021, G-Watch’s annual event—Ako, Ikaw, Tayo, May Pananagutan (AIM-P)—took on an unlikely theme: ‘Love and Accountability at the Time of a Pandemic.’ The theme jumps off from the idea that the best way to love during a pandemic is to hold power to account.
Ten sites in the Philippines held simultaneous events, both physical and online, which were attended by representatives from local government, youth groups, and civil society organizations, as well as citizens - in Marawi; Bacolod; Dumaguete; San Miguel, Bohol; Sibagat, Agusan del Sur; Quezon City; Puerto Princesa; Cebu City; Maasin, Southern Leyte; and Tacloban. Majority of the events were held on Valentines’ Day.
This report presents the highlights of the simultaneous events, particularly the key themes that emerged from the assessment and reflection, which are as follows:
- The interfacing of the national and local governments would be key to the success of the vaccination program.
- The upcoming 2022 elections can be an accountability platform for the government’s performance in responding to the pandemic.
- Despite the pandemic, citizens and citizen groups have adapted to continue demanding responsive governance and exacting accountability from the government.
- The youth are leading the call for accountability in COVID-19 response.
- The call for accountability in the vaccination program mobilizes multi-sectoral action.
TPA Now! A Paper Series on Transparency, Participation and Accountability is a platform for practitioners, researchers and action strategists to present evidence and reflect on the practice and research on strategic TPA and to broaden awareness on the importance of accountability in governance. It is an initiative of Government Watch (G-Watch), in partnership with Accountability Research Center (ARC) to advance the discourse and practice of ‘strategic TPA.’
The challenge of transformative impact of transparency, participation and accountability (TPA) initiatives points to the need for a different way of doing accountability. To advance the discourse and practice of ‘strategic TPA,’ Government Watch (G-Watch), in partnership with Accountability Research Center (ARC), launches TPA Now! A Paper Series on Transparency, Participation and Accountability as a platform for practitioners, researchers and action strategists to present evidence and reflect on the practice and research on strategic TPA and to broaden awareness on the importance of accountability in governance.
This 3rd issue of TPA Now! looks into the loans and grants incurred by the Philippine government to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes a database of the relevant loans and grants with financing institutions, the highlights of the agreements, including their priority sectors and payment terms. The paper also includes a review of emerging international standards in promoting transparency, participation and accountability in COVID-19 loans, a rapid scanning of what accountability mechanisms and platforms are provided in Philippine COVID-19 loan and grant agreements, and the critical gaps in exacting accountability from the government's use of borrowed financing to respond to the pandemic.
The challenge of transformative impact of transparency, participation and accountability (TPA) initiatives points to the need for a different way of doing accountability. To advance the discourse and practice of ‘strategic TPA,’ Government Watch (G-Watch), in partnership with Accountability Research Center (ARC), launches TPA Now! A Paper Series on Transparency, Participation and Accountability as a platform for practitioners, researchers and action strategists to present evidence and re ect on the practice and research on strategic TPA and to broaden awareness on the importance of accountability in governance.
This paper, the second issue of TPA Now! Paper Series, explores the emerging practices of transparency, participation and accountability in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Specifically, it checks how BARMM demonstrates its emerging TPA practices as it responds to the COVID-19 crisis. A quick scan of the efforts of BARRM in addressing COVID-19 shows that BARMM is heading to the right direction in enabling TPA in BARMM. However, there are still many complementary policies, mechanisms and efforts needed to set up a holistic, integrated accountability system in BARMM that works towards sustainable development and lasting peace.
The challenge of transformative impact of transparency, participation and accountability (TPA) initiatives points to the need for a different way of doing accountability. To advance the discourse and practice of ‘strategic TPA,’ Government Watch (G-Watch), in partnership with Accountability Research Center (ARC), launches TPA Now! A Paper Series on Transparency, Participation and Accountability as a platform for practitioners, researchers and action strategists to present evidence and reflect on the practice and research on strategic TPA and to broaden awareness on the importance of accountability in governance.
This first issue of TPA Now! Paper Series provides the context and rationale for the paper series. The worsening accountability situation, both in the country and in various parts of the world, despite decades-long efforts by civil society, governments and development partners shows how difficult is the fight against corruption, abuse of power and impunity. As pro-reform/ pro-accountability forces advance and learn from their actions, so do anti-reform/ anti-accountability forces—and often at a faster rate given the resources they have. For this reason, the campaign for accountability not only has to continue, but it also has to be done better and differently. Continuing the critical reflection, discourse and exchanges of knowledge among allies would be crucial to ensure progress. Sharing good experiences and lessons would also be useful in providing the needed inspiration to keep the work going even against formidable odds.