The RDC approved its budget preparation calendar for the FY 2012 budget, consistent with National Budget Memorandum No. 107. A joint meeting of the RDC sectoral committees will be held on February 17, and the RDC Full Council on February 22.

NBM 107 is guided by the President's Social Contract and its 16 areas of transformational leadership. DBM7 Regional Director Carmela Fernan presented the highlights of NBM 107 to the RDC.

The focus of the FY 2012 budget will be fighting corruption; reducing poverty; ensuring sustained inclusive growth; building a motivated professional energized bureaucracy; and encouraging integrated and safe community and sustainable use of resources for future generations.

The NBM includes the following provisions: disallowing the inclusion of lump sum funds in the 2012 budget proposals; encouraging complementation of government agencies' PAPs with those of LGUs; encouraging the involvement of civil society and private sector in the budget consultations; and requiring full disaggregation of agency budgets into specific PAPs by geographic location. As part of the target of government for a Zero-Based Budgeting, it requires forward estimates for 2012-2014 and linking of PAPs to agencies' Major Final Outputs with at least three performance indicators.