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We Showed the Way, But “Nothing is Given, We Need to Take It” (Closing Remarks in the Multiply-Ed National Accountability Conference: Youth Report on Education)
By Joy Aceron | 30 June 2026When I delivered a message in the formal launching of Multiply-Ed on February 7, 2022 in Pasig City, I said: “Obviously, this is just the beginning. There is a huge work ahead. But if the recent past efforts of the team were of any indication, the road ahead will surely be vibrant, productive and full of lessons on accountability and citizen empowerment towards a resilient learning environment in public education system.”
By Joy Aceron | 30 June 2026When I delivered a message in the formal launching of Multiply-Ed on February 7, 2022 in Pasig City, I said: “Obviously, this is just the beginning. There is a huge work ahead. But if the recent past efforts of the team were of any indication, the road ahead will surely be vibrant, productive and full of lessons on accountability and citizen empowerment towards a resilient learning environment in public education system.”
To Make a Dent on the Flood Control Plunder, We Need Meaningful Citizen Participation and Political Reform
By Joy Aceron
By Joy Aceron
The Importance of Accountability in Fiscal Reforms: Learning from G-Watch’s Multi-Level Monitoring of Health Budget from Sin Tax
The 10th issue of TPA Now! looks into the accountability system in health fiscal reforms, particularly in the spending of health budget from the Sin Tax.
The 10th issue of TPA Now! looks into the accountability system in health fiscal reforms, particularly in the spending of health budget from the Sin Tax.
Co-Constructing Accountability
Opening Remarks in the Multiply-Ed National Multisectoral Conference Marco Polo | 7-8 August 2023 Magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat. Thank you to all our guests for honoring us with your presence, and thank you and congratulations in advance to all who form part of the growing movement of Multiply-Ed. Ang lawak at lalim na ng ating gawain at lalo pa natin dapat itong pag-ibayuhin.
Opening Remarks in the Multiply-Ed National Multisectoral Conference Marco Polo | 7-8 August 2023 Magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat. Thank you to all our guests for honoring us with your presence, and thank you and congratulations in advance to all who form part of the growing movement of Multiply-Ed. Ang lawak at lalim na ng ating gawain at lalo pa natin dapat itong pag-ibayuhin.
Dissonance Spotting: Multi-level Engagement of G-Watch Accountability Frontliners and the Contrasting State of Philippine Governance during COVID
The paper, the ninth in the TPA Now! Paper Series that started in 2021, shows the strength of using multi-level context analysis and engagement in enabling citizen movements to be strategic — to have a nuanced understanding of the state of governance and democracy; to identify entry points; and strategize in a context of closing civic space and to set agenda for future advocacies.
The paper, the ninth in the TPA Now! Paper Series that started in 2021, shows the strength of using multi-level context analysis and engagement in enabling citizen movements to be strategic — to have a nuanced understanding of the state of governance and democracy; to identify entry points; and strategize in a context of closing civic space and to set agenda for future advocacies.
Have loans helped the citizen engagement and accountability mechanisms in Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to continue amid the COVID-19 pandemic?
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 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.
Rollback on Participatory Reform Gains in Government Procurement?
By: Joy Aceron* After attending the online two-day training of the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) for Civil Society Organization (CSO) observers last July 29-30, I can’t help but reflect on whether there has been a significant rollback in the participatory reforms in the country’s government procurement.
By: Joy Aceron* After attending the online two-day training of the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) for Civil Society Organization (CSO) observers last July 29-30, I can’t help but reflect on whether there has been a significant rollback in the participatory reforms in the country’s government procurement.
The Kids are Alright: 'Youth-Led' Initiatives on COVID-19
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.
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.
Is the government sabotaging its own COVID-19 response by undermining trust and neglecting social assistance?
By Joy Aceron* In the past weeks after the expiration of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, the Duterte administration took several actions that indicate its overreliance on policing or enforcement of quarantine laws as its main approach in fighting COVID-19.
By Joy Aceron* In the past weeks after the expiration of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, the Duterte administration took several actions that indicate its overreliance on policing or enforcement of quarantine laws as its main approach in fighting COVID-19.
Reversing Accountability: Learning from Accountability Frontliners’ Observation of the DSWD Social Amelioration Program Validation
This paper learns from G-Watch accountability frontliners that conducted the observation of the SAP validation by looking into and analyzing their reports and notes, and by undertaking informal online reflection-assessment sessions with them.
This paper learns from G-Watch accountability frontliners that conducted the observation of the SAP validation by looking into and analyzing their reports and notes, and by undertaking informal online reflection-assessment sessions with them.
Pitfalls of Aiming to Empower the Bottom from the Top: The Case of Philippine Participatory Budgeting
This paper explains why and how a reform program that opened up spaces for participatory budgeting was ultimately unable to result in pro-citizen power shifts that transformed governance. The study reviews the design and implementation of Bottom-Up Budgeting (BuB), the nationwide participatory budgeting (PB) program in the Philippines, which ran from 2012 to 2016 under the Benigno Aquino government. The findings underscore the importance of institutional design to participatory governance reforms.
This paper explains why and how a reform program that opened up spaces for participatory budgeting was ultimately unable to result in pro-citizen power shifts that transformed governance. The study reviews the design and implementation of Bottom-Up Budgeting (BuB), the nationwide participatory budgeting (PB) program in the Philippines, which ran from 2012 to 2016 under the Benigno Aquino government. The findings underscore the importance of institutional design to participatory governance reforms.
Filling a Gap in Governance: The Case of Balangay as a Useful Application of Digital Technology
This short paper briefly looks at Balangay and how it was developed as a useful application of digital technology to address a specific governance problem of Legazpi City. It also examines the challenges that Legazpiitfaces in enabling strategic collective action to promote responsive and accountable governance.
This short paper briefly looks at Balangay and how it was developed as a useful application of digital technology to address a specific governance problem of Legazpi City. It also examines the challenges that Legazpiitfaces in enabling strategic collective action to promote responsive and accountable governance.
Enabling a Strategic Shift: The Case of IWPR -WATCH North Cotabato - MAVC Partnership
How can ordinary citizens pressure local officialstorespond to their demands? The people from the province of North Cotabato in Mindanao seemsto have found a solution and areisattempting to further enhance it.
How can ordinary citizens pressure local officialstorespond to their demands? The people from the province of North Cotabato in Mindanao seemsto have found a solution and areisattempting to further enhance it.
Rebooting G-Watch: A Report from the 2017 National Meeting of G-Watch
A National Meeting of G-Watch local core group members and partners was convened on February 23-25, 2017 held in Astoria Plaza in Pasig City. The discussion focused on how and why G-Watch should reboot, what are the processes it entails and what should be the priority issues and agenda it will tackle.
A National Meeting of G-Watch local core group members and partners was convened on February 23-25, 2017 held in Astoria Plaza in Pasig City. The discussion focused on how and why G-Watch should reboot, what are the processes it entails and what should be the priority issues and agenda it will tackle.
From the Ground Up: Multi-Level Accountability Politics in Land Reform in the Philippines
In 1988, the Philippines enacted a land redistribution policy known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). After almost three decades of implementation, an estimated 13 percent of the land targeted for redistribution remains in the hands of powerful landlords. This paper investigates the contestation involved in the implementation of agrarian reform through the lens of multi-level accountability politics.
In 1988, the Philippines enacted a land redistribution policy known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). After almost three decades of implementation, an estimated 13 percent of the land targeted for redistribution remains in the hands of powerful landlords. This paper investigates the contestation involved in the implementation of agrarian reform through the lens of multi-level accountability politics.
Enhancing the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) Report Card Survey (RCS): A Report to the Civil Service Commission
There is a need to look at how the RCS can be improved in assisting the frontline agencies in ensuring “prompt, efficient, honest and high quality” delivery of services. This research aims to provide recommendations to the CSC on how the ARTA-RCS can be improved in effectively assisting the frontline agencies in reducing red tape in their delivery of services by:
There is a need to look at how the RCS can be improved in assisting the frontline agencies in ensuring “prompt, efficient, honest and high quality” delivery of services. This research aims to provide recommendations to the CSC on how the ARTA-RCS can be improved in effectively assisting the frontline agencies in reducing red tape in their delivery of services by:
Learning to be Strategic: A G-Watch Think Piece on an Alternative Approach to Sustaining Reforms Based on MAVC Experience in the Philippines
This think piece shares key lessons of G-Watch from the Making All Voices Count (MAVC) experience in the Philippines based on a learning process with the MAVC grantees from March to August 2017, which focused on the role of strategic action and adaptive learning on the issue of sustainability. Alongside this piece are two case studies on two selected MAVC grantees, one focusing on when and how digital technology works and the other on how learning for a strategic shift happens which are to be published separately by MAVC.
This think piece shares key lessons of G-Watch from the Making All Voices Count (MAVC) experience in the Philippines based on a learning process with the MAVC grantees from March to August 2017, which focused on the role of strategic action and adaptive learning on the issue of sustainability. Alongside this piece are two case studies on two selected MAVC grantees, one focusing on when and how digital technology works and the other on how learning for a strategic shift happens which are to be published separately by MAVC.
Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM): The Philippines Progress Report 2015-2017
In anticipation of the 2016 election, the third Philippine action plan sought to institutionalize existing OGP participatory mechanisms and largely continued expanding the scope of activities from previous action plans. While general awareness of OGP remains low, the passage on an Executive Order on Freedom of Information and inclusion of new commitments on improving public service delivery indicates sustained energy on areas with immediate impact on citizens’ lives.
In anticipation of the 2016 election, the third Philippine action plan sought to institutionalize existing OGP participatory mechanisms and largely continued expanding the scope of activities from previous action plans. While general awareness of OGP remains low, the passage on an Executive Order on Freedom of Information and inclusion of new commitments on improving public service delivery indicates sustained energy on areas with immediate impact on citizens’ lives.
Accountability and Human Rights
I saw an appeal to push the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to investigate the violation of human rights by the terrorists in light of the Marawi crisis. There was also a push for Chito Gascon, Chair of the CHR, to resign because "the CHR is focusing more on the rights of the criminals, instead of the victims."
I saw an appeal to push the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to investigate the violation of human rights by the terrorists in light of the Marawi crisis. There was also a push for Chito Gascon, Chair of the CHR, to resign because "the CHR is focusing more on the rights of the criminals, instead of the victims."
Rethinking Progressives' Move
On June 7, 2017, over 300 lawyers filed a petition for mandamus before the Supreme Court to compel Congress to convene to discuss Martial Law in Mindanao declared by President Rodrigo Duterte. The said petition says "Petitioners come before this Honorable Court to invoke one such constitutional mechanism - joint legislative review of martial law long after President Marcos lifted Proclamation No. 1081 and 30 years after the 1987 Constitution."
On June 7, 2017, over 300 lawyers filed a petition for mandamus before the Supreme Court to compel Congress to convene to discuss Martial Law in Mindanao declared by President Rodrigo Duterte. The said petition says "Petitioners come before this Honorable Court to invoke one such constitutional mechanism - joint legislative review of martial law long after President Marcos lifted Proclamation No. 1081 and 30 years after the 1987 Constitution."