National Budget Circular 542

National Budget Circular 542, issued by the Department of Budget and Management on August 29, 2012, reiterates compliance with Section 93 of the General Appropriations Act of FY2012. Section 93 is the Transparency Seal provision, to wit:

Sec. 93. Transparency Seal. To enhance transparency and enforce accountability, all national government agencies shall maintain a transparency seal on their official websites. The transparency seal shall contain the following information: (i) the agency’s mandates and functions, names of its officials with their position and designation, and contact information; (ii) annual reports, as required under National Budget Circular Nos. 507 and 507-A dated January 31, 2007 and June 12, 2007, respectively, for the last three (3) years; (iii) their respective approved budgets and corresponding targets immediately upon approval of this Act; (iv) major programs and projects categorized in accordance with the five key results areas under E.O. No. 43, s. 2011; (v) the program/projects beneficiaries as identified in the applicable special provisions; (vi) status of implementation and program/project evaluation and/or assessment reports; and (vii) annual procurement plan, contracts awarded and the name of contractors/suppliers/consultants. The respective heads of the agencies shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with this section.

A Transparency Seal, prominently displayed on the main page of the website of a particular government agency, is a certificate that it has complied with the requirements of Section 93. This Seal links to a page within the agency’s website which contains an index of downloadable items of each of the above-mentioned documents.

Symbolism

A pearl buried inside a tightly-shut shell is practically worthless. Government information is a pearl, meant to be shared with the public in order to maximize its inherent value.

The Transparency Seal, depicted by a pearl shining out of an open shell, is a symbol of a policy shift towards openness in access to government information. On the one hand, it hopes to inspire Filipinos in the civil service to be more open to citizen engagement; on the other, to invite the Filipino citizenry to exercise their right to participate in governance.

This initiative is envisioned as a step in the right direction towards solidifying the position of the Philippines as the Pearl of the Orient – a shining example for democratic virtue in the region.

DBM Compliance with Sec. 93 (Transparency Seal) R.A. No. 10155 (General Appropriations Act FY 2012)

  1. About the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency
    1. The Agency’s Mandates and Functions
    2. Organizational Structure
    3. Directory of Officials
  2. Annual Financial Reports
    1. FAR No. 1, 1A, 1B – SAAODB, SAAODBOE, LASA
    2. FAR No. 3 – Aging of Due and Demandable Obligations
    3. FAR No. 4 – Summary Report on Disbursements
      2023
      January February March April May June
      July August September October November December
      2022
      January February March April May June
      July August September October November December
      2021
      January February March April May June
      July August September October November December
      2020
      January February March April May June
      July August September October November December
      2019
      January February March April May June
      July August September October November December
      2018
      January February March April May June
      July August September October November December
      2017
      January February March April May June
      July August September October November December
      2016
      January February March April May June
      July August September October November December
      2015
      January February March April May June
      July August September October November December
    4. BAR No. 1 – Quarterly Physical Report of Operations
    5. FAR No. 5 – Quarterly Report of Revenue and Other Receipts
    6. BED No. 1 – Financial Plan
    7. BED No. 2 – Physical Plan
    8. BED No. 3 – Monthly Cash Program
  3. DBM Approved Budget and Targets
  4. Other Reports
    1. Report on Commission on Audit Findings and Recommendations
    2. Modifications on the Approved Budget
  5. Projects, Programs and Activities, Beneficiaries, and Status of Implementation (Not Applicable)
  6. Procurement
    1. Annual Procurement Plan
    2. Awarded Contractors/Supplier/Consultants/Procurement Monitoring Report
  7. QMS Certification
  8. System of Ranking Delivery Units
  9. Agency Review and Compliance Procedure of Statements and Financial Disclosures
  10. Freedom of Information
  11. Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) Status