Participatory Budgeting in the Philippines: Promise amidst Populism and Pandemic

ASOG Working Paper Series 22-007

12 Pages Posted: 11 Apr 2022

See all articles by Ronald U. Mendoza

Ronald U. Mendoza

Ateneo De Manila University - Ateneo School of Government

Date Written: April 8, 2022

Abstract

Participatory budgeting offers the promise of social accountability through citizens’ engagement in public sector budget allocations. The international evidence suggests that participatory budgeting initiatives can help produce more efficient and equitable budget allocations, but that the most successful cases depend on the context. Fox (2015) offers a useful framework for understanding the common elements for success: citizen-centered information access and transparency, representation and aggregation of citizens’ “voice”, minimal constraints on “voice” (and the absence of fear-of-reprisal), clear accountability goals such as reactive vs. preventive policy responses, and finally the state’s capability to respond adequately to citizens’ “voice” (also referred to as “teeth” behind participatory budgeting). Drawing on this framework, this brief paper elaborates on the Philippine case, as far as the changing landscape of participatory budgeting.

Keywords: participatory budgeting, social accountability, citizens’ engagement

Suggested Citation

Mendoza, Ronald U., Participatory Budgeting in the Philippines: Promise amidst Populism and Pandemic (April 8, 2022). ASOG Working Paper Series 22-007, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4078567 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4078567

Ronald U. Mendoza (Contact Author)

Ateneo De Manila University - Ateneo School of Government ( email )

Katipunan Road
Loyola Heights
Quezon City, 1108
Philippines

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