Deadline: 10-May-2026

UNICEF is inviting applications to scale up the Child Budget and Expenditure Tagging and Tracking (CBETT) initiative in Calabarzon, Philippines, focusing on strengthening child-focused public finance systems at the local level. The initiative supports capacity building, policy development, and evidence-based budgeting to improve outcomes for children and nutrition programs.

UNICEF Call for Applications – CBETT Scale-Up in Calabarzon (Philippines)

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is seeking an implementing partner to support the expansion of the Child Budget and Expenditure Tagging and Tracking (CBETT) initiative in Region IV-A (Calabarzon), Philippines, with a focus on Quezon Province. The initiative aims to strengthen child-responsive public financial management (PFM) and improve how local governments plan, track, and allocate budgets for children and nutrition.

Program Overview and Objectives

This initiative is part of UNICEF’s broader efforts in social policy, advocacy, and public finance reform. It focuses on enhancing how local government units (LGUs) allocate and monitor funding for children’s services and nutrition programs.

The main objectives include:

• Strengthening subnational capacity for CBETT implementation
• Improving budget tagging and tracking for children and nutrition
• Building institutional and technical capacity at regional and local levels
• Supporting evidence-based planning and decision-making
• Promoting long-term adoption of child-responsive budgeting tools

Key Focus Areas

The initiative operates across two main domains:

Social Policy and Advocacy

• Strengthening policy frameworks for child-focused budgeting
• Supporting policy dialogue and advocacy at local and national levels

Public Finance and Local Governance

• Enhancing budget tracking systems
• Integrating CBETT into local planning and budgeting processes
• Strengthening governance and accountability mechanisms

Geographic Focus

• Region: Calabarzon (Region IV-A), Philippines
• Primary focus: Quezon Province

The initiative targets local government units (LGUs) at provincial, municipal, and regional levels.

Key Activities and Implementation Scope

The selected partner will be responsible for:

• Providing technical assistance for CBETT implementation
• Conducting capacity-building and training programs
• Facilitating peer learning and knowledge exchange
• Supporting development and use of:
  • Child budget briefs
  • Nutrition budget briefs
• Documenting good practices and implementation lessons
• Organizing policy dialogues and stakeholder consultations

These activities aim to improve both operational systems and policy frameworks.

Key Stakeholders and Partnerships

The initiative involves coordination with multiple national and local institutions, including:

• Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC)
• Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
• Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
• Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF)
• Provincial Government of Quezon
• National Nutrition Council (NNC)
• Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
• Department of Education (DepEd)
• Department of Health (DOH)

Collaboration with Leagues of Local Governments and regional offices is also essential.

Expected Results

The initiative aims to achieve the following outcomes:

• Increased capacity of LGUs to implement CBETT
• Improved tracking of child and nutrition budgets
• Greater participation of stakeholders in training and policy dialogues
• Strengthened use of budget briefs for planning and monitoring
• Enhanced integration of CBETT into local governance systems

Monitoring and Evaluation Indicators

Key performance indicators include:

• Number of LGUs trained on CBETT and nutrition budget tagging
• Participation of stakeholders in capacity-building sessions (disaggregated data)
• Number of policy dialogues conducted
• Production and use of child and nutrition budget briefs
• Evidence of improved data-driven planning and monitoring

Who is Eligible?

Eligible applicants must:

• Be capable organizations (e.g., NGOs, CSOs, or institutions) with expertise in:
  • Public finance
  • Governance
  • Social policy
• Demonstrate experience in capacity building and technical assistance
• Have the ability to coordinate with government and multi-stakeholder partners
• Show strong implementation and reporting capacity

Applicants should demonstrate experience working with local governments or similar systems.

How to Apply

Follow these steps to prepare a strong application:

1. Review the full Terms of Reference (ToR)
2. Develop a proposal aligned with CBETT objectives and local context
3. Outline a clear implementation strategy and timeline
4. Include a robust monitoring and evaluation framework
5. Demonstrate capacity for stakeholder coordination and technical delivery
6. Submit the application through UNICEF’s official process

Proposals should emphasize technical expertise, scalability, and sustainability.

Why This Initiative Matters

This initiative is critical for improving child-focused governance and financing systems.

• Enhances accountability in public spending for children
• Strengthens evidence-based decision-making
• Improves outcomes in nutrition, education, and child welfare
• Supports long-term institutional reforms in local governance

By improving how budgets are tracked and used, the initiative ensures that resources effectively reach children and vulnerable populations.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Submitting proposals without clear technical expertise in public finance
• Weak alignment with CBETT objectives
• Lack of measurable indicators or evaluation framework
• Insufficient stakeholder engagement strategy
• Overlooking integration with existing government systems

Strong proposals are technically sound, context-aware, and results-driven.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is CBETT?
Child Budget and Expenditure Tagging and Tracking is a system used to monitor and analyze public spending on children and nutrition.

Where will the project be implemented?
In Calabarzon (Region IV-A), primarily Quezon Province in the Philippines.

Who can apply?
Organizations with expertise in public finance, governance, and capacity building.

What are the main objectives?
To strengthen local capacity, improve budget tracking, and support child-focused financial planning.

What outputs are expected?
Training sessions, policy dialogues, and development of child and nutrition budget briefs.

Why is this initiative important?
It ensures better allocation and monitoring of funds for children’s services and development programs.

Does the project involve government collaboration?
Yes, extensive coordination with national and local government agencies is required.

Conclusion

The UNICEF CBETT Scale-Up Initiative in Calabarzon represents a strategic effort to strengthen child-responsive public financial systems in the Philippines. By building local capacity, improving budget tracking, and promoting evidence-based planning, the initiative aims to ensure that public resources are effectively used to improve the lives of children and communities.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.