Title
Guidelines on CSO Engagements with DILG
Law
Memorandum Circular No. 2018-89
Decision Date
Jul 11, 2018
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) establishes guidelines for engaging civil society organizations (CSOs) to enhance collaboration in implementing government programs and projects, ensuring effective participation and accreditation processes for CSOs.
civil society
good governance
administrative law

Constitutional and statutory basis

  • Section 23, Article II of the 1987 Constitution encourages the State to encourage participation of non-governmental, community-based, and other sectoral organizations.
  • Section 67 of Republic Act No. 10964 (General Appropriations Act of 2018) allows national government agencies to partner with CSOs in implementing certain programs and projects.
  • Under Republic Act No. 10964, the transfer of government funds to a CSO is allowed when the CSO is accredited by the national government agency and selected in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.
  • The Memorandum Circular is grounded on strengthening collaborative relationships between the government and civil society for good governance and development results.

Coverage and key scope rules

  • The Memorandum Circular covers CSOs engaged by the DILG to jointly implement Department programs and projects, with or without the use of government funds.
  • It covers only DILG accreditation of CSOs and the mechanisms by which the DILG engages CSOs.
  • The transfer and liquidation conditions for any government funds are governed by the agreement between the Bureau or PMO and the accredited CSO.
  • Liquidation, utilization, and audit of transferred funds must follow Commission on Audit (COA) Circular No. 2007-001.

Definitions for accreditation and engagement

  • A Civil Society Organization (CSO) is a non-state and non-profit association that works to improve society and the human condition, including basic types such as non-governmental organization, civic organization, cooperative, social movement, professional group, and business group.
  • Department refers to the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Department and DILG are used interchangeably.
  • Bureau or PMO refers to the office that handles the implementation of DILG programs and projects.
  • Accreditation is the process by which the DILG authorizes a CSO to be an eligible partner in implementing a DILG-initiated program or project with or without government funds; accreditation is the instrument that determines intent, juridical personality, and basic information of the organization and its officers and members.
  • An Applicant is a CSO applying for accreditation or certification with the DILG to be an implementing partner for a DILG-initiated program or project with or without government funds.
  • A Sanggunian-accredited CSO is a local CSO accredited by a Sanggunian for a term for representation to local special bodies.
  • A Certificate of Accreditation is the authorization issued by the DILG through its National, Regional, and Provincial Accreditation Committees to an eligible CSO.
  • Certification is the authorization issued by the DILG through its National, Regional, and Provincial Accreditation Committees to (a) eligible Sanggunian-accredited CSOs and (b) CSOs registered by the SEC, CDA, DOLE, and HLURB and/or accredited by other government agencies, to be an implementing partner of DILG programs and projects.

Areas and types of CSO engagement

  • CSOs may engage with the DILG in feedback, advocacies, policy formulation, capacity development, research, surveys, studies, assessments, monitoring, and evaluation.
  • CSOs may provide feedback through mechanisms such as the Community-Based Monitoring Program (CBMP) and Third Party Evaluation of the Local Government Support Fund-Assistance to Municipalities (LGSF-AM), and monitoring of Local Development Council sub-projects.
  • CSOs may directly give feedback to project implementers on nationally funded projects such as Performance Challenge Fund (PCF), Assistance to Municipalities (AM), Salintubig, and Conditional Matching Grant to the Provinces (CMGP).
  • CSOs may contribute to commitments to the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and the Participatory Governance cluster; advocate for passage of a local Freedom of Information (FOI) ordinance; participate in consultation pertaining to Federalism; participate in initiatives of the Local Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ADAC); support the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG); and get involved in local disaster preparedness programs.
  • CSO involvement in policy formulation covers consultations or fora for plans, policies, guidelines, and issuances, and participation in policy dialogues in local governance, law and order, and public safety.
  • The DILG will not accept proposals that are not anchored to any existing DILG programs and projects, and the selection of programs and projects must be taken from the list in Annex D, which is updated at the end of every semester.
  • Engagement types are:
    • Voluntary work: CSOs provide feedback, advocacies support, assistance in plan/policy/issuance formulation, and implement programs/projects/activities without any cost to the government.
    • Voluntary work with cost: CSOs assist or participate in a volunteer capacity but are reimbursed for applicable costs—actual transportation expenses, per diems, honoraria, and other incidental expenses—subject to existing budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules and regulations.
    • Provider of goods and/or services: CSOs may provide goods and/or services with remuneration or payment for services, with procurement rules under Appendix 14 of the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 9184 and similar general provisions to be observed.

Accreditation: committees, criteria, and process

  • The DILG must create a National Accreditation Committee (NAC), a Regional Accreditation Committee (RAC) in every region, and a Provincial Accreditation Committee (PAC) in every province to perform the functions under the Memorandum Circular.
  • The National Accreditation Committee is chaired by the Secretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government and vice-chaired by the Director, Bureau of Local Government Supervision, with members including directors from Bureau of Local Government Development, Office of Project Development Services, National Barangay Operations Office, and representatives from Legal and Legislative Liaison Service, Internal Audit Service, Local Government Academy, Commission on Audit, and other relevant bureaus/PMOs (with bureau/PMO attendance for applications concerning their handled programs/projects).
  • The Bureau of Local Government Supervision–Local Government Relations Division must serve as Secretariat to the NAC; the Regional Director must designate a Secretariat to the RAC; and the Provincial Director must designate a Secretariat to the PAC.
  • A CSO must meet all accreditation criteria:
    • It must be composed of individuals who are experts in the technical area applied for (Section 6.2.1).
    • It must have a good track record and good standing in all government agencies where it had previous partnerships or received government funds (Section 6.2.2).
    • It must not have any Director, Trustee, Officer, or key personnel related within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to any DILG official involved in processing accreditation or any official of the government agency funding or implementing the program/project (Section 6.2.3).
    • It must not be in default or in delay in liquidating any government funds received from any government agency (Section 6.2.4).
  • Application routing depends on geographic implementation:
    • File with NAC for co-implementation in multiple provinces/cities/municipalities in more than one (1) region.
    • File with RAC for co-implementation in highly urbanized cities or in one (1) or more provinces/cities/municipalities within a region.
    • File with PAC for co-implementation within one (1) or more cities or municipalities in a province within a region.
  • The accreditation process requires:
    • Full completion of the application form (Annex A) identifying the DILG program/project and submission of applicable requirements (Annex B or Annex C) (Section 6.3.1).
    • Secretariat completeness check; if incomplete, return within one (1) working day and inform deficiencies (Section 6.3.2).
    • Final evaluation within ten (10) working days from receipt of complete documents, including assessment by the Bureau/PMO and/or Program Manager for technical eligibility and capability (Section 6.3.3).
    • Possible requirement for additional documents and possible interviews with persons having past or present substantial dealings with the Applicant (Section 6.3.3.2).
    • Final action within seven (7) working days from completion of evaluation:
      • Issue a Declination Notice if criteria are not met, stating denial grounds (Section 6.3.4.1).
      • If criteria are met, grant the application and sign the Certificate of Accreditation by the DILG Secretary, concerned Regional Director, or concerned Provincial Director (Section 6.3.4.2).

Certification for eligible pre-accredited CSOs

  • Sanggunian-accredited CSOs and CSOs registered by the SEC, CDA, DOLE, and HLURB and/or accredited by other government agencies are eligible to engage in implementing DILG programs and projects upon meeting the certification conditions.
  • Certification conditions require:
    • A valid Certificate of Registration or Accreditation, or a Sanggunian-issued Certificate of Accreditation valid only for the current term (Section 7.1.1).
    • The technical expertise needed to implement the DILG program/project applied for (Section 7.1.2).
  • Applicants must submit to the appropriate committee a Letter of Intent specifying the DILG program/project; a fully accomplished Application Form (Annex A); a certified true copy of the Certificate of Registration or Accreditation; and for Sanggunian-accredited CSOs, a Letter of Endorsement from the concerned C/MLGOO (Section 7.2.1).
  • Submission routing mirrors geographic coverage:
    • NAC for multiple provinces/cities/municipalities in more than one (1) region.
    • RAC for highly urbanized cities or one (1) or more provinces/cities/municipalities within a region.
    • PAC for one (1) or more cities or municipalities within a province within a region.
  • The Secretariat evaluates eligibility and capability (Section 7.2.2).
  • Final action occurs within three (3) working days after evaluation:
    • If eligible, the Regional Director or Provincial Director issues a Certification (Section 7.2.3.1).
    • If not eligible, the Regional Director or Provincial Director issues a Declination Notice, and for reasons other than non-compliance with criteria in item 8.1, the Accreditation Committee endorses to NAC for further evaluation and proper action (Section 7.2.3.2).

Formalizing engagements and maintaining governance controls

  • For voluntary work without cost to the government, the DILG formalizes the partnership through an MOU signed by the DILG Secretary (national), the Regional Director (regional) and for highly urbanized cities, or the Provincial Director (provincial/city/municipal levels) (Section 8.1.1).
  • The MOU must define the nature and extent of the partnership, identify roles and responsibilities, and include the implementation timeline (Section 8.1.2).
  • For voluntary work with cost to the government, the DILG issues a Terms of Reference (TOR) signed by the same levels of DILG officials (Section 8.2.1).
  • The TOR must define scope of work, specific qualifications, expected outputs, implementation timeline, and compensation/honoraria; release of honoraria and traveling expense must follow COA Circular No. 2007-001 dated October 25, 2007 (Section 8.2.2).
  • For CSOs implementing DILG programs/projects using government funds, the DILG enters into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by the same levels of DILG officials (Section 8.3.1).
  • The MOA must define partnership scope, roles, implementation timeline, and include provisions on remuneration/honoraria and payment for travel expense and allowable per diems of CSO members; it must also provide guidelines on disbursement and utilization of funds; liquidation, utilization, and audit must follow COA Circular No. 2007-001 dated October 25, 2007 (Section 8.3.2).
  • The CSO must keep and maintain financial and accounting records of any government funds received from the DILG (Section 8.3.3).
  • The DILG must keep and maintain financial and accounting records of any government funds it gives to the CSO (Section 8.3.3).
  • The CSO must nominate its organization’s representative/s to directly engage in program/project implementation; no other individuals may engage unless nominated by the CSO and duly authorized by the DILG through the Bureau or PMO and/or Program Manager, the concerned Regional Director, or the concerned Provincial Director (Section 8.4).
  • The Bureau or PMO and/or Program Manager must closely monitor implementation and ensure compliance with the MOU, TOR, or MOA, and with the Memorandum Circular (Section 8.5).

Geographic coverage, validity, renewal, and re-requests

  • A Certificate of Accreditation and a Certification cover only the geographical area stated therein and may be used only for the DILG programs/projects stated therein (Section 9.1).
  • A Certificate of Accreditation and Certification are valid for a period not exceeding three (3) years from issuance, subject to renewal or revocation based on year-end assessment by the appropriate Accreditation Committee and recommendation from the partner Bureau/PMO (Section 9.2).
  • A CSO with a valid Certificate of Accreditation or Certification may engage again for programs/projects not stated in its certificate by submitting a letter of intent addressed to the NAC, RAC, or PAC, together with a Letter of Recommendation or Certificate of Completion from the previous partner Bureau/PMO; the request is subject to evaluation by the Secretariat and approval by the appropriate Accreditation Committee (Section 9.3).

Revocation, ineligibility, and consequences

  • Non-compliance with any provision of the agreement entered into between the DILG (through its concerned Bureau/PMO, Provincial Office, or Regional Office) and a CSO is sufficient ground for revoking the CSO’s Accreditation or Certification (Section 10.1).
  • A CSO’s violation, during the certificate validity period, of any law, rule, or regulation involving the use and liquidation of government funds received from any National Government Agency is a ground for revocation (Section 10.2).
  • CSOs whose Accreditations or Certifications are revoked cannot re-apply and cannot be considered for future DILG engagements (Section 10.3).

Reporting, consolidation, and public posting

  • The Bureau/PMO at the DILG Central Office and the PMO and/or Program Manager in regional and provincial offices must report to the NAC, RAC, and PAC, respectively, by submitting copies of all agreements entered into with partner CSOs during the immediately preceding month within the first five (5) working days of every month (Section 11.1).
  • The Bureau/PMO and/or Program Manager must submit a Semester Report updating the NAC/RAC/PAC on partnership status (Section 11.2).
  • The RAC and PAC, through their Secretariats, must prepare Quarterly Reports on funds transferred to partner CSOs in their respective regions and provinces, including a summary of partnership status updates, and submit them to the NAC Secretariat for consolidation (Section 11.3).
  • The NAC, through the Secretariat, must prepare Quarterly Reports on funds transferred to partner CSOs and submit them to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate of the Philippines, the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Finance, and these Quarterly Reports must be posted on the DILG official website (Section 11.4).

References and implementation framework

  • The Memorandum Circular anchors implementation on Republic Act No. 10964 (General Appropriations Act of 2018).
  • It recognizes related administrative guidance including DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2016-97 dated July 19, 2016 on accreditation of CSOs and selection of representatives to local special bodies.
  • It aligns with joint COA-DBM-DSWD guidance via Joint Resolution No. 2014-001 dated December 5, 2014 on guidelines for accreditation of CSOs as implementing entities of government or public funds.
  • It requires financial and audit compliance under COA Circular No. 2007-001 dated October 25, 2007 for funds released to non-government organizations/people’s organizations.
  • The Memorandum Circular uses Annexes including Annex A (Application Form), Annex B (Checklist of Requirements—CSO partnership with government cost), Annex C (Checklist of Requirements—CSO partnership without government cost), Annex D (List of DILG Programs and Projects), and Annex E (Template for Certificate of Accreditation and Certification).

Analyze Cases Smarter, Faster
Jur helps you analyze cases smarter to comprehend faster, building context before diving into full texts. AI-powered analysis, always verify critical details.

About Privacy Terms