PH launches child budget tool to boost LGU support for kids

The Philippine government, in collaboration with the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), the European Union, and UNICEF, has introduced a new budget tagging tool called Child Budget and Expenditure Tagging and Training (CBETT) to enhance local government units' (LGUs) support for child welfare.

This initiative aims to institutionalize child-responsive budgeting within LGUs, ensuring sufficient funding and monitoring for crucial areas such as nutrition, education, protection, and mental health.

By 2027, the CBETT tool is projected to be implemented in all 1,600 municipalities across the country, generating vital data to inform evidence-based planning, budgeting, and program prioritization for children.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong highlighted the critical need to align LGU budgets with the actual needs of children, pointing to ongoing challenges in poverty reduction and an increase in school violence incidents.

Mayor Magalong also noted a concerning trend where regions with significant infrastructure budgets continue to report high poverty incidence, indicating a potential misalignment in spending priorities.