CLARK FREEPORT ZONE – The Department of the Interior and Local Government Region III as chair of the Central Luzon Regional Poverty Reduction Action Team (CL-RPRAT) spearheads the conduct of the Central Luzon Bottom-Up Budgeting (BuB) Provincial Summits 2016 from November 16 – 18, 2016 at the Quest Hotel and Conference Center, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga.

The said activity will serve as a venue for the Bottom-up Budgeting Project Management Office (BuB PMO), Oversight agencies, CL-RPRAT and Local Government Units (LGUs) to interface and present the over-all city/municipal status of BuB Project implementation and to come-up with issues resolution and realistic timeline for the completion of BuB projects under Fiscal Years 2014, 2015 and 2016.

As being currently reviewed and assessed, the BuB program through the various Local Poverty Reduction Action Team (LPRAT) shall work in close coordination with the National Government Agencies (NGAs) in order to expedite the project implementation/completion and full liquidation of completed BuB Projects to meet the deadline set forth by the BuB Execom.

"There is half truth that Bottom-Up Budgeting Program will come to an end. However, this is our cross-over from the BUB Program to the new program which is the Assistance to Disadvantaged Municipalities (ADM). What strengthen us is that we are proud that DILG's projects are beneficial to the public and rest assured that the latter will continue to provide assistance that shall serve people's interest and welfare, said DILG Director Florida Dijan, Chairperson, CL-RPRAT.

The provinces of Bataan, Pampanga and Zambales including the highly urbanized cities (HUCs) - Angeles and Olongapo (First Batch) conducted yesterday, November 16 their provincial summits. Further, the province of Nueva Ecija (Second Batch), Aurora, Bulacan and Tarlac (Third Batch) will be on November 17 and 18 respectively.

These activities are aligned in collaboration with the following implementing agencies: Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).