Amended Multi-Year Implementing Guidelines on the Allocation and Utilization of the Indigenous Peoples Education Program Support Fund

May 3, 2018

DepEd Order No. 022-18

AMENDED MULTI-YEAR IMPLEMENTING GUIDELINES ON THE ALLOCATION AND UTILIZATION OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES EDUCATION PROGRAM SUPPORT FUND

 

1. The Department of Education has instituted a National Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Program. This is pursuant to DepEd Order No. 62, s. 2011 entitled Adopting the National Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Policy Framework and DepEd Order No. 43, s. 2013 entitled Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 10533 Otherwise Known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013.

2. To support the implementation of the plans and priorities on IPEd, DepEd shall provide a Program Support Fund (PSF) to the regional and schools division offices for each fiscal year. Starting 2018, the allocation, release, utilization and liquidation of the said fund shall be subject to the enclosed Amended Multi-Year Implementing Guidelines on the Allocation and Utilization of the Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Program Support Fund (PSF).

3. For more information, contact the Department of Education (DepEd)-Indigenous Peoples Education Office (IPsEO), DepEd Central Office, Ground Floor, Mabini Building, DepEd Complex, Meralco avenue, Pasig City at telefax no. (02) 633-7212 or email at [email protected] TAIaHE

4. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.

(SGD.) LEONOR MAGTOLIS BRIONESSecretary

ATTACHMENT

References: DepEd Order Nos. (62, s. 2011 and 43, s. 2013)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:

ALLOCATION	INDIGENOUS PEOPLES EDUCATION
AMENDMENT	POLICY
FUNDS	PROGRAMS

(Enclosure to DepEd Order No. 022, s. 2018)

Amended Multi-Year Implementing Guidelines on the Allocation and Utilization of the Indigenous Peoples Education Program Support Fund

1.0 Purpose and Coverage

1.1 The Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Program is DepEd's response to the right of indigenous peoples (IP) to basic education that is responsive to their context, respects their identities, and promotes their indigenous knowledge, skills, and other aspects of their cultural heritage. Specifically, the objectives of the IPEd Program are the following:

a. make the curriculum culturally responsive to the specific community context of IP learners;

b. build the capacity of teachers, school heads, and other concerned personnel at different levels of governance in implementing culture-based education for IP learners;

c. support the development of culturally appropriate learning resources and learning environment responsive to the specific community context of IP learners;

d. strengthen the policy environment supportive of IPEd; and

e. address the learning needs of IP learners who lack access to basic education services.

1.2 The IPEd Program supports the realization of the K to 12 Basic Education curriculum, which subscribes to the following standards and principles, among others: inclusive, culture-sensitive, and flexible enough to enable and allow schools to localize, indigenize, and enhance based on the community's educational and social context.

1.3 To strengthen the capacity of DepEd in responding to IP learning needs, in a manner that is flexible, demand-driven, and evidence-based, a Program Support Fund (PSF) shall be provided to regional and schools division offices for each fiscal year. For the implementation of the program, the PSF shall be used solely for IPEd-related activities that support four (4) thematic focus areas, namely, (1) curriculum and learning resources development; (2) capacity building; (3) knowledge management, and, (4) education planning for IPEd. These focus areas aim at further building the institutional capacity of DepEd offices in responding to and managing the complexities of IPEd implementation, supporting the indigenization of the curriculum at the school/division level, and formulating education plans at the division and school levels that are culturally relevant and responsive. Activities under these thematic focus areas progressively build on previous years' priority activities. cDHAES

1.4 With the shift to a cash-based budgeting system, key processes need to be aligned with this reform while maintaining the program's flexibility and responsiveness to the dynamics and context of Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities who are the main partners of DepEd in addressing the needs and concerns of IP learners. Relative to these, and also in relation to recent developments in program directions, changes are being introduced in the thematic focus areas, the process of determining regional PSF allocation, and the process of release of the PSF to regions and divisions.

2.0 Scope

These guidelines shall provide the rules for allocation, release, utilization, and liquidation of the IPEd Program Support Fund starting 2018 onwards.

3.0 Definition of Terms

For purposes of these guidelines, the following terms shall be construed to mean as follows:

3.1 Indigenous Peoples (IPs) — as stipulated in the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997, Section 3 (h), IPs or indigenous cultural communities (ICCs) refer to "a group of people or homogenous societies identified by self-ascription and ascription by others, who have continuously lived as organized community on communally bounded and defined territory, and who have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial, occupied, possessed and utilized such territories, sharing common bonds of language, customs, tradition and other distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social and cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions and culture, became historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos. ICCs/IPs shall likewise include peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account of their descent from the populations which inhabited the country, at the time of conquest or colonization, or at the time of inroads of non-indigenous religions and cultures, or the establishment of present state boundaries, who retain some or all of their own social, economic, cultural and political institutions, but who may have been displaced from their traditional domains or who may have resettled outside their ancestral domains."

3.2 IP Education (IPEd) Program — refers to the "program that supports education initiatives undertaken through formal, non-formal, and informal modalities with emphasis on any of, but not limited to, the key areas of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices and community history, indigenous languages, Indigenous Learning System (ILS) and community life cycle-based curriculum and assessment, educational goals, aspirations and competencies specific to the Indigenous Cultural Community (ICC), engagement of elders and other community members in the teaching-learning process, assessment, and management of the initiative, recognition and continuing practice of the community's ILS, and the rights and responsibilities of ICCs" (Section 8.4, Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 10533/The Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013).

4.0 Policy Statement

The DepEd hereby adopts these guidelines that shall govern the allocation, release, utilization, and liquidation of the IPEd Program Support Fund starting 2018 onwards. ASEcHI

5.0 Allocation of Program Support Fund

5.1 All regions with IP communities/learners with allocated IPEd Program budget shall be covered by these guidelines.

5.2 The regional PSF allocation for FY 2018 is provided as Annex 1.

5.3 For succeeding fiscal years, the regional PSF allocation for the coming year shall be proposed by each region by the end of February of the current year in preparation for the annual budget estimates for the coming year submitted by regional offices to Central Office. Regional IPEd Focal Persons shall convene with their respective Schools Division IPEd Focal Persons in preparation for this and discussions shall be guided by 5.5, 5.6, 6.1, 6.2, 6.5 and 6.6 of these guidelines. The proposed regional allocation for the coming year shall be communicated by the Regional IPEd Focal Person to the region's Policy, Planning and Research Division (PPRD) and IPsEO not later than the last day of February of the current year. A DepEd Memorandum shall be issued to the Regional Offices not later than the last week of August indicating the final approved PSF allocation of each region for the coming year as approved by Congress.

5.4 Once the Regional Offices have been notified of the final regional PSF allocation, the Regional and Schools Division IPEd Focal Persons of each region shall convene to discuss and prepare their respective Regional and Schools Division IPEd Work and Financial Plan (WFP) for the coming fiscal year guided by 5.5, 5.6, and the provisions on Eligible Activities and Expenses (6.0) and Release of Program Support Funds (7.0) of this guidelines.

5.5 The selection of schools divisions which shall be provided with PSF and their corresponding allocation shall be guided by the following considerations:

a. Primary considerations

• Population distribution of ICCs across the region's schools divisions

• Number of IP learners based on the latest data from eBEIS and other data sources from the field validated by the ICCs

• Number of schools with IP learners

• Number of schools involved in the curriculum indigenization process

• Number of priority sites for access interventions

• Ongoing division-led projects or interventions of the schools division that are responsive to the situation of IP learners and aligned with the IPEd Program's thematic focus areas

• Suggested interventions by the schools division's ICCs as indicated in the IPEd Framework that are aligned with the IPEd Program's thematic focus areas

• Alignment of the schools division's initiatives with the IPEd Program's thematic focus areas

• Track record on fund utilization and prompt report submission during previous years

b. Secondary considerations

• Schools divisions in the Region that were included as PSF recipients in previous years

• Availability of support for education interventions for ICCs coming from external sources/partners that can be aligned to the IPEd Program's perspective and approach

5.6 In determining the allotment of the Regional Office, the Regional and Schools Division IPEd Focal Persons should consider the projected activities for the year that are appropriately region-led and other initiatives that the Regional Office has to undertake to ensure that it is able to perform its mandate in relation to the implementation of the IPEd Program.

5.7 The allocation for IPsEO shall be used to support its program implementation, operations, monitoring and evaluation activities.

6.0 Eligible Activities and Expenses

6.1 The IPEd Program Support Fund shall be used for activities related to the following four (4) thematic focus areas:

a. Curriculum and learning resources development in line with the objective to make the curriculum sensitive and responsive to the cultural and social context of the IP learners being served by the school/learning program, as well as producing the needed culture-based learning resources. Activities under this thematic area may be related to any of, but not limited to, the following:

• Curriculum contextualization and learning resources development sessions, consultations, and workshops of school and division personnel with IP elders, leaders, culture bearers (who may be invited as resource persons), community representatives and other relevant stakeholders

• Production of learning materials with content duly validated with concerned IP communities and that have undergone quality assurance

b. Capacity building to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) of teachers, managers, and personnel across DepEd offices/units to be effective IPEd implementers/managers, which may involve resources persons coming from the community. Activities under this thematic area may be related to any of, but not limited to, the following:

• Training/retooling of teachers and school heads for IPEd implementation

• Workshop-sessions on Indigenous Learning Systems (ILS)

• Workshop-session on community engagement and partnership-building for IPEd

• Technical assistance training for supervisors of schools implementing IPEd

c. Knowledge management to systematize and strengthen the program's collection, organization, management and use of information leading to well-informed and sound program policies, directions, and activities. This also includes initiatives that foster culture-sensitive research and its application in curriculum contextualization, capacity building, and education planning. Activities under this thematic area may be related to any of, but not limited to, the following: ITAaHc

• Consultations and workshops with community representatives, elders, IKSP holders, and culture bearers regarding the processes and methods in doing baseline data gathering, development of protocols for research in the context of indigenous cultural communities (ICCs), research process, and other aspects of knowledge management

• Training of DepEd personnel on baseline data gathering and culture-based and culture-sensitive research

• Workshop-sessions on data management, developing a research agenda, consolidating research results, and policy development

• Dissemination and advocacy of research results

d. Education planning for IPEd at the division and school levels which shall cover prerequisite processes and requirements for appropriate curriculum development and implementation, learning materials development, and other fundamental aspects, and may involve resource persons from the community. Activities under this thematic area may be related to any of, but not limited to, the following:

• Training of school heads and supervisors on Culture-responsive/Ancestral Domain-based School Improvement Plan (SIP)

• Training of supervisors for technical assistance on Culture responsive/Ancestral Domain-based SIP

• Orientation/training of the School Planning Team and other stakeholders on Culture-responsive/Ancestral-Domain based SIP

• IPEd planning activities of Schools Division Offices and schools with IP learners

6.2 The following shall also be considered in planning the use of the PSF:

• National directions of the IPEd Program discussed during the IPsEO-convened inter-regional conferences on the IPEd Program

• IPEd Framework/s of the Schools Divisions

• Previous year's WFP

6.3 In cases of activities that are not related to the said thematic focus areas, but are considered IPEd related priorities by the recipient region/division, the concerned region/division shall submit a proposal justifying the conduct of such activity, subject to the review and recommendation of IPsEO and the approval of the Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction.

6.4 All activities and initiatives in the WFP should adhere to the principles and guidance provided by DepEd Order No. 51, s. 2014 (Guidelines on the Conduct of Activities and Use of Materials Involving Aspects of Indigenous Peoples Culture) and DepEd Order No. 32, s. 2015 (Adopting the Indigenous Peoples Education Curriculum Framework).

6.5 Eligible expenses shall be those related to:

a. travel expenses related to IPsEO-led capacity-building activities, attendance and participation to IPEd training activities, workshops, conferences (both at the national and local levels,) school and community activities related to education planning for IPEd, among others;

b. community engagement and partnership-building activities with IP communities, IPOs, civil society organizations, and other government agencies; and

c. other expenses in support of 6.1 are eligible as long as the expenses are classified under MOOE.

6.6 Ineligible expense items shall include:

a. operational expenses such as payment of utilities (water, electricity, janitorial, and security services) funded by regular MOOE;

b. hiring and payment of salaries of additional staff;

c. capital outlay items; and

d. expenses covered by Official Development Assistance (ODA)-supported projects and other special or national programs or subsidies. CHTAIc

7.0 Release of Program Support Fund

The release of the regional/division Program Support Fund (PSF) for the coming year shall be subject to the approval of the regional/division IPEd WFP (Annex 2). Details of procedure are stated in item 7. 1. In the preparation of their IPEd WFPs, the regions and divisions shall ensure coherence and complementation with other IPEd-related activities funded by other sources, if there are any.

7.1 Procedure in the Release of Fund

7.1.a Division Program Support Fund

i. The Schools Division Office (SDO) shall prepare and submit the IPEd WFP for the coming year to the Regional Office (RO) for evaluation on or before the third Friday of October of the current year;

ii. The RO shall devise or use existing mechanisms to review and evaluate the IPEd WFP within three (3) weeks from the date of submission to ensure its alignment with the identified thematic focus areas (if a certain division does not receive any information regarding its IPEd WFP within the set period, the IPEd WFP shall be deemed "approved");

iii. The RO shall notify the SDO upon approval of its IPEd WFP, copy furnished IPsEO; in cases where the RO has recommendations and/or suggestions for revisions, the RO shall return the IPEd WFP to the SDO for improvement;

iv. The SDO shall submit the revised and final IPEd WFP with the RO's recommendations and comments integrated not later than the last working day of November of the current year;

v. SDOs that fail to meet the November deadline for submission of WFPs shall be considered ineligible for PSF for the next fiscal year and the division's allocation will be subject to reallocation as specified in 7.4;

Figure 1: Process Flow for the Approval of Division PSF

7.1.b Regional Program Support Fund

i. The RO shall prepare and submit the coming year's IPEd WFP to IPsEO for evaluation on or before the third Friday of October of the current year;

ii. The IPsEO shall review and evaluate the IPEd WFP submitted by the RO within three weeks, to ensure alignment with the identified thematic focus areas (if a certain region does not receive any information regarding its IPEd WFP within the set period, the IPEd WFP shall be deemed "approved");

iii. The RO shall be notified by the IPsEO upon approval of their IPEd WFP;

iv. In cases where IPsEO has recommendations and/or suggestions for revisions, the IPEd WFP is returned to the RO for improvement;

v. The RO shall submit the revised and final IPEd WFP once the comments and recommendations of IPsEO are integrated not later than the last working day of November of the current year;

vi. Should the RO fail to submit to IPsEO, the allocation of the region shall be subject to reallocation as specified in 7.4;

vii. When the RO WFP is approved, the RO shall communicate to IPsEO the RO allocation including corresponding allocation for each approved SDO WFPs not later than the first Friday of December of the current year;

viii. With the Region's letter as basis, IPsEO shall request the Central Office Budget Division to communicate to the Regional Office's Budget Division that the Region's PSF can commence utilization and the Sub-ARO to the DOs can be issued by January of the succeeding fiscal year;

Figure 2: Process Flow for the Approval of Regional PSF

7.2 Allocation Release

Regional PSF allocations shall be directly released to the Regional Offices and will be reflected in the Region's line item in the General Appropriations Act as Allotment Order (GAAAO)/SARO by DBM starting fiscal year 2018 onwards.

Should the Region fail to communicate the final allocation of the divisions and the RO to IPsEO by the first Friday of December, the confirmation to release allocations for the regional office and divisions of the Region will be on hold until the Region transmits this communication to IPsEO.

7.3 Liquidation and Utilization of Funds

Utilization and liquidation of the funds shall be subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations. Guidelines on the release and use of funds released for each fiscal year shall also guide fund management concerns. EATCcI

7.4 Reallocation of PSF

In the event that a Division or Regional Office fails to submit its WFP as scheduled, IPsEO may recommend the reallocation of the said Division's and/or Regional Office's PSF to other Divisions within the region with higher resource requirements and good track record in terms of program implementation and budget utilization, based on an approved proposal as specified in 7.5 below.

7.5 Proposal for the Provision of Supplementary PSF

ROs and SDOs needing additional funds (over and above their PSF allocation for the fiscal year) for program implementation may submit proposals to IPsEO together with their WFP submission for the coming fiscal year. The proposal should provide a clear rationale and justification for the provision of supplementary PSF and include a WFP for the requested amount (following the same WFP format prescribed in these guidelines). Proposals from SDOs shall be reviewed, compiled, and endorsed by their respective ROs.

7.6 Transition to the Program Management Information System (PMIS)

All 2018 WFPs shall be encoded in the PMIS by the end of May 2018. The submission of WFPs in succeeding years shall be through the PMIS and this will be a prerequisite for the release of funds for the succeeding years. A Department Order shall be released providing guidance regarding PMIS procedures.

8.0 Roles and Responsibilities

8.1 At the regional and schools division levels, the IPEd Focal Person shall serve as the overall coordinator of the implementation of the IPEd Program. In relation to the PSF, the IPEd Focal Person shall perform the following roles in close coordination and collaboration with other concerned personnel/units:

a. Schools Division level:

i. Coordinate the formulation and processing of the schools division IPEd WFP;

ii. Prepare and consolidate inputs to the required reports; and

iii. Supervise and monitor program implementation/fund utilization.

 The chiefs of the Curriculum Implementation Division (CID) and the Schools Governance and Operations Division (SGOD) shall note their concurrence of the WFP.

 The Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) shall be accountable as the overall IPEd Program implementer:

b. Regional level:

i. Coordinate the formulation and processing of the regional IPEd WFP with the functional divisions of the region that shall be involved in IPEd implementation;

ii. Prepare and consolidate inputs to required reports;

iii. Supervise and monitor program implementation and fund utilization; and

iv. Provide technical assistance to the divisions.

The chiefs of the region's functional divisions that will be involved in IPEd Program activities shall note their concurrence of the WFP.

The Regional Director shall be accountable as the overall IPEd Program implementer.

8.2 At the national level, the IPsEO shall coordinate the overall process of allocation and utilization of PSF at the regional and division levels, as specified in these guidelines. This office shall issue supplemental guidelines and provide technical assistance as may be deemed necessary.

9.0 Progress Monitoring

9.1 To ensure effective and efficient implementation of IPEd in the different regions, an inter-regional conference managed by IPsEO shall be conducted bi-annually. This shall serve as the venue for the regions and schools divisions to report progress on their program implementation.

9.2 The regions shall conduct regular monitoring of program implementation in the schools divisions as part of their mandated functions and responsibilities.

9.3 Upon the uploading of WFPs in the PMIS, the PMIS shall be used as the main monitoring tool for the utilization of the PSF.

10.0 Performance and Fund Utilization Reporting

10.1 The SDO shall submit their accomplishment report (Annex 3) to the Regional Office on a quarterly basis, copy furnished IPsEO.

10.2 The Regional Offices shall submit their accomplishment report (Annex 3) to IPsEO on a quarterly basis.

10.3 After the uploading of the WFP in the PMIS in May, 2018, outputs and activity accomplishments shall be reported using the PMIS reporting facility. Reports shall be consolidated during the inter-regional conferences and during the monitoring of program implementation of the regions.

11.0 Repealing Clause

DepEd Order No. 3, s. 2017 and other related issuances, and provisions, which are inconsistent with this Department Order are hereby repealed, rescinded or modified accordingly.

12.0 Effectivity

These amended multi-year guidelines shall be in force and in effect starting FY 2018 unless sooner repealed, amended, or rescinded.

ANNEX 1

FY 2018 Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Program Support Fund Allocation,

Region	Program Support Fund
Region I	5,564,000
CAR	10,457,000
Region II	10,387,000
Region III	8,554,000
Region IV-A	2,648,000
MIMAROPA	5,953,000
Region V	2,528,000
Region VI	4,927,000
Region VII	3,285,000
Region VIII	1,433,000
Region IX	7,509,000
Region X	15,266,000
Region XI	10,914,000
Region XII	10,844,000
Region XIII	8,003,000
TOTAL	108,272,000.00

 

ANNEX 2

Work and Financial Plan (WFP)

ANNEX 3

Accomplishment Report