Government Watch - Citizens’ Action for Good Governance, by the Ateneo School of Government, The Graduate School of Leadership and Public Service in the Philippines. Sent in to Voices Against Corruption by Marlon Cornelio (ANSA-EAP), for the Global Youth Anti-Corruption Forum, taking place in Brussels (26-28 May 2010)

1. YOUTH
Government Watch
Citizens’ Action for Good Governance
Ateneo School of Government
The Graduate School of Leadership and Public Service

2. A model of the Social Accountability Approach that
G-Watch
Established 2000
strengthens the bureaucracy by instituting transparency
and accountability mechanisms in the systems, programs
and service-delivery of the government
PREMISE MISSION
An effective and strong bureaucracy To provide a venue where the government
is necessary in advancing growth and the civil society can be engaged in the
and development in the country formulation of policies and programs to
improve governance
METHODOLOGY
action research. program EXPERIENCE
implementation monitoring. public- Education, public works and infrastructure,
private partnership. community medicine procurement, disaster relief,
action. problem-solving. advocacy electoral budget, human rights compliance
CORRUPTION CONSTRUCTIVE
PREVENTION ENGAGEMENT

3. G-Watch Monitoring Tool
Planned/ Cause of G-Watch Agency
Normative Actual Variance Variance Assessment Assessment
Time
Cost
Quantity
Quality
`
Process

4. Textbook Count
Government Watch (G-Watch)

5. No system in the
How of
Prices of textbooks were Delivery
double and the process of Textbook Count
delivery
procuring textbooks was Started
textbooks was
textbooks.
long. normally delayed
No participation
Frequent reports on
corruption in textbook from CSOs;
and there were
procurement; DepEd was processes were not
frequent media
perceived as the most transparent; no
corrupt agency in the reports of ghost
government. means for
deliveries
accountability

6. It is a program of DepED in
partnership with voluntary and
private sectors
It aims to ensure that the right quantity and
quality of textbooks are delivered to the
right recipient at the right time
It started in 2002 during the administration of Sec. De
Jesus, and was championed by former Undersecretary
Mike Luz.
What is Textbook Count?

7.  To remove corruption in textbook
procurement
 To systematize deliveries nationwide
 To make suppliers more responsive to
clients’ need
 To establish benchmark for DepED
performance
 To mobilize manpower for monitoring and
inspection at less or no cost
Why the Need?

8. Safeguard the integrity of the
1. BIDDING bidding process
2. PRODUCTION Ensure good textbook quality
Help high schools and districts
3. DELIVERY check the textbooks delivered
to them
Help districts distribute the
4. DISTRIBUTION textbooks to elementary
schools
Components and Goals

9. Consortium of CSOs Department of
Education
G-Watch CSO IMCS DepED Nat’l
Nat’l Coord Coord
Participating CSOs BSP/GSP
Lead in the Mobilization of
Volunteers
Local Chapters/ Provincial Division Supply
Networks Coordinator Office
Volunteer Monitors HS and District HS and District
Monitors Offices
Nationwide Coordination

10. Volunteers conduct
monitoring
1. Quick Report to
No Finding With Finding 1 Group Leader
2. Quick Report to
Agency Authority
2
3. Quick Report to
Evaluation Report to
Accountability
Agency & Public
Institution
Reporting Mechanism

11. PRICE
procurement of textbooks From Php 80-120 to
done with civil society Php 30-45 per textbook
orgs’ (CSO) observers
TIME
textbooks cheaper and From 24 months to an
average of 12 months
are procured in a shorter
period of time
PARTICIPANTS
more and more actors are From 8 to 40+ CSOs
involved Open to the private sector
Five rounds since, Textbook Count has become a model of
citizen engagement in ensuring quality service delivery from
the government.

12. during the production of textbooks, physical quality inspections are conducted
with CSOs
Textbooks and Teacher’s Manuals found with defects and deficiencies in printing
were marked “for replacement” and are replaced by the suppliers
Common defects corrected
Ink smudge
Print out of registry
Five rounds since, Textbook Count has become a model of
citizen engagement in ensuring quality service delivery from
the government.

13. Before the
delivery,
schedules are
provided to
inform all
stakeholders
when to expect
how many
textbooks
Five rounds since, Textbook Count has become a model of
citizen engagement in ensuring quality service delivery from
the government.

14. Boy scouts, girl scouts and
other CSO monitors wait at the
delivery spots to count the
book, sign Inspection and
Acceptance Receipt (IAR),
which certifies that the
textbooks received are of right
quantity and physical quality.
Delivery errors have been
reduced to as low as 5% on the
average .
The process was streamlined--
deliveries with IARs that are
signed by CSOs are no longer
subjected to post-delivery
checking by DepEd
Five rounds since, Textbook Count has become a model of
citizen engagement in ensuring quality service delivery from
the government.

15. Coca-Cola
and other
private
companies
help DepED in
transporting
the textbooks
from district
offices to far
flung
elementary
schools
Five rounds since, Textbook Count has become a model of
citizen engagement in ensuring quality service delivery from
the government.

16. Communities help in
the onward delivery
of textbooks through
Textbook Walk,
which is a
synchronized festivity
showcasing
community action
that aims to help
distribute textbooks
and to create public
awareness on the
need to improve
education
Five rounds since, Textbook Count has become a model of
citizen engagement in ensuring quality service delivery from
the government.

17. Textbook Count 2
Textbook Count 1 was the G-Watch tested the waters
research that started it all… of implementing a
national textbook
monitoring project
A community-based initiative, Textbook
Textbook Count 3 was a full blast
Walk, was introduced in Textbook Count 4
with expanded participation from
new (ex. Coca Cola) and old
players Textbook Count 5 tested the readiness of
communities to take the lead while expansion is
being initiated at the national level through PRO
Looking back. Looking ahead.

18. YOUTH
Know more about other social accountability
initiatives, like procurement monitoring in
Textbook Count, and interact with youth
practitioners in the East Asia and the Pacific.
www.ansa-eapyouth.ning.com