Purpose and Policy Statement
- Strengthen government-civil society collaboration to promote good governance.
- Recognize CSOs' effectiveness in service delivery, especially in marginalized communities.
- Provide a formal mechanism for DILG to engage CSOs in planning, monitoring, and evaluating programs.
Scope and Application
- Applies to CSOs engaged with DILG programs/projects with or without government funds.
- Covers CSO accreditation by DILG and engagement mechanisms.
- Fund transfer and liquidation are governed by agreements and COA Circular No. 2007-001.
Definitions
- CSO: Non-state, non-profit associations working for societal improvement, including NGOs, civic groups, cooperatives, social movements, professional and business groups.
- Department: The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
- Accreditation: Formal approval by DILG authorizing a CSO to partner in program/project implementation.
- Other terms include Applicant, Sanggunian-accredited CSOs, Certificate of Accreditation, and Certification.
Areas of Engagement
- Provide feedback on DILG programs/projects through established mechanisms.
- Advocate for governance initiatives like FOI, Federalism consultations, Anti-Drug Councils, PDP, SDGs, and disaster preparedness.
- Participate in policy and plan formulation and conduct policy dialogues.
- Implement capacity-building programs, conduct research, surveys, monitoring, and evaluation.
- Engagements must be linked to existing DILG programs listed in Annex D, updated biannually.
Types of Engagement
- Voluntary work without cost: CSOs contribute without government expenses.
- Voluntary work with cost: CSOs reimbursed for actual expenses such as transportation, per diems, honoraria.
- Provider of goods/services: CSOs may be remunerated under procurement rules (RA 9184 and IRR).
Accreditation Framework
- Establishment of Accreditation Committees:
- National Accreditation Committee (NAC)
- Regional Accreditation Committees (RAC)
- Provincial Accreditation Committees (PAC)
- Committee compositions include DILG officials, representatives from Legal, Audit, and relevant Bureaus/PMOs.
- Secretariat support designated in each committee.
Accreditation Criteria for CSOs
- Expertise relevant to the program/project.
- Good standing with all previous government partnerships.
- No conflict of interest via close relations to involved government officials.
- No default or delay in liquidating government funds.
Accreditation Process
- Submission of application with required documents to appropriate committee (NAC, RAC, PAC) based on geographic scope.
- Secretariat review for completeness; deficiency notification within one working day.
- Evaluation within ten working days with involvement of Bureaus/PMOs.
- Final recommendation leading to issuance of Certificate of Accreditation or Declination Notice within seven working days.
Certification for Registered or Sanggunian-accredited CSOs
- Eligible if possessing valid certificates and technical expertise.
- Submission of Letter of Intent, application form, proof of registration/accreditation, and endorsement from local officials.
- Evaluation and final action within three working days.
- Issuance of Certification or Declination Notice.
Formalization of Engagement Agreements
- Volunteer without cost: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by appropriate DILG official.
- Volunteer with cost: Terms of Reference (TOR) specifying scope, compensation, and timeline.
- Engagement with government funds: Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) defining roles, timelines, funding rules, and audit guidelines.
- Financial record-keeping required for both DILG and CSOs.
- CSO must nominate authorized representatives for the partnership.
Validity and Renewal of Accreditation or Certification
- Valid only within specified geographic area and programs/projects.
- Maximum validity period of three years, subject to renewal or revocation after assessment.
- Renewals or extensions require submission of intent and past project completion documents.
Grounds for Revocation
- Non-compliance with agreement provisions.
- Violation of laws or regulations on fund use and liquidation.
- Revoked CSOs barred from future DILG engagements.
Reporting and Transparency
- Monthly submission of agreement copies and semester status reports from Bureaus/PMOs to Accreditation Committees.
- Quarterly reports on fund transfers and partnership status prepared and submitted up the chain.
- Quarterly consolidated reports submitted to congressional leaders and posted online.
Reference Legal Instruments
- RA No. 10964 (2018 GAA)
- DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2016-97
- Joint Resolution No. 2014-001 (COA, DBM, DSWD)
- COA Circular No. 2007-001
- Related procurement guidelines under RA 9184
Effectivity and Feedback
- Guidelines effective fifteen (15) days after DILG website publication.
- Contact details provided for further information and queries regarding the Memorandum Circular.