Assessment of the Implementation of Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) in the Municipality of Nasipit and Involvement of Stakeholders in BUB Livelihood Project for Food Security and Self-sufficiency

IMPLEMENTING PARTNER: Culit Multi Purpose Cooperative
YEARS: 2014-2015
GRANT AMOUNT: $29,228
THEMES: Public Saftey Nets

This project aimed to establish a mechanism towards mainstreaming the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) beneficiaries into the socio-economic development of the municipality’ by linking the CCT program with an expanded Bottoms-Up Budgeting program where the CCT beneficiaries would have opportunity to participate in the identification and budgeting of community anti-poverty projects.

The problem identified by this sub-project was that many of those beneficiaries graduating the CCT program face difficulties finding sustainable livelihood. With most of the CCT beneficiaries soon graduating from the CCT Program, the LGU was left with the difficult yet challenging task of providing them with livelihood and other socio-economic opportunities to prevent them from reverting back to the cycle of generational poverty. This sub-project sought to establish a mechanism to mainstream CCT beneficiary participation in the socio-economic development of the municipality. In order to accomplish this objective, the following strategies were employed:

• CCT beneficiaries participated in a Community Scorecard activity that monitored the health and education
  conditionalities of the CCT program. Results of the Scorecard were discussed with the government who is expected to address the identified gaps in the facilities and services needed by CCT beneficiaries.
• A Grievance Redress Committee at the local level was strengthened for quick action on beneficiary’s complaints and grievances. Actions on complaints and grievances by beneficiaries and on citizen’s feedback were monitored by the Project Team.
• CCT beneficiaries were integrated in the social and economic development of the community through the family development sessions (FDS) and the promotion of active citizenship.
• An interphase was created between CCT and BuB programs to fund CCT beneficiary-initiated livelihood projects for food security and self-sufficiency or small infrastructure projects.
• Forming joint Local Government-Private Sector-CSO partnerships to enhance the capacity of the municipality to provide employment and other economic opportunities to CCT beneficiaries.

The sub-project was successful in mobilizing the CCT beneficiaries to actively participate in local governance. The CCT beneficiaries were oriented on the values of cooperativism and the advantages of citizen participation
The sub-project also introduced the Community Scorecard and Social Accountability as tools of engagement to more confidently approach government and other groups. These skills in turn opened opportunities for CCT beneficiaries to better access resources and projects of local governments. These projects are anticipated to help them prepare for their post-CCT membership. For example, a cash crop farming project that allows graduates to farm on idle land, will provide livelihood, albeit for five years as is indicated in the Memorandum of Agreement with landowners and the municipal government.

1. Membership in the cooperative and other organizations enables beneficiaries to better access programs and services of the government. It is easier for the local government to entrust programs and projects to organized groups such the Culit Multipurpose Cooperative.
2. Empowerment, or confidence gained by citizens in approaching government officials and private landowners, can a major gap in the to the benefit of the entire community

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