PONDO NG PINOY PROGRAM COMPONENTS AND MECHANICS OF IMPLEMENTATION

The four-point program components of Pondo ng Pinoy are as follows:

1. Education

It focuses on consciousness development primarily through sacred scriptures and the social doctrines of the Church, and enriched by learning the vision, mission, goals, principles and values of Pondo ng Pinoy.

As the most distinctive and noteworthy feature of Pondo ng Pinoy, the Education component promotes social consciousness and transformation.  Direct proclamation of the gospel values of Jesus Christ articulates its catechetical character, while the gathering of 25 centavos as the icon of charity among neighbor is the integrating component of the catechetical framework.

The objectives of Pondo ng Pinoy education and catechesis are:

1. To cultivate a spirituality of social transformation through the formation of social conscience;
2. To build up a participatory church and caring community through a lifelong process of learning and self-giving to the poor; and,
3. To imbue the culture with the values of the gospel in the spirit of ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue.

The education committee can be composed of diocesan catechetical coordinators and heads of religious education of Catholic schools and other designated persons or groups, aided by modules developed for the parishes, schools, business, civic and religious organizations, as well as project beneficiaries. 

• Promotion

The National Management Office (NMO) shall make primer, brochures, posters, stickers and other promotional materials available to provide information about Pondo ng Pinoy vision and mechanics, including guidelines for launching preparation in a diocese.  Member dioceses may develop also their own promotional materials.

Initial promotional activities focus on education and empowerment that fosters the spirit of giving and sharing of the “crumbs.”  Then, media establishments will be tapped for the promotion of Pondo ng Pinoy to a wider audience.

• Gathering of the “crumbs”

Contributions are deposited to Pondo ng Pinoy’s participating banks.  Participants just need to furnish NMO and their respective Diocesan Chancery with a copy of proofs of deposit.  Contributions may also be entrusted to the Pondo ng Pinoy funds of the parish or Chancery that will, in turn, deposit the gathered crumbs.  By centralizing the fund generation campaign, Pondo ng Pinoy can allocate resources to projects for the poor in the various dioceses.  Schools can also remit their collection directly to participating banks, forwarding proofs of deposit to NMO and Chancery.

The Pondo ng Pinoy Diocesan Desk Coordinator will keep separate records of contributions from parishes, schools and organizations or institutions.  A quarterly report showing summary of collections must also be submitted to NMO and Chancery.

Dioceses that opened their own Pondo ng Pinoy accounts are to transfer funds to bank accounts of the Foundation in order that their total contributions may be officially acknowledged.

• Distribution of the “crumbs”

The distribution or allocation of funds for projects follows a process of project identification, project review and approval, release of funds and the monitoring and evaluation of funded projects. 

Projects are received and recommended by either a local screening body or the Pondo ng Pinoy Projects Screening Subcommittee, approved by the bishop or by the Pondo ng Pinoy Programs Committee and ratified by the Board of Trustees. 

Project proponents must meet the criteria set by the Projects Screening Subcommittee to qualify for consideration.  Non-profit organizations, like the diocesan and parochial social action offices, NGOs, religious organizations and other sectors, may submit to the Diocesan Pondo ng Pinoy Desk proposals on projects that will directly benefit the poor.  Projects must have the approval of the bishop to qualify for funding. 

Funds for diocese-approved projects will be released to the local Pondo ng Pinoy Desk.  The local Pondo ng Pinoy Coordinator is responsible for monitoring supported projects and submitting progress reports to the National Management Office.

3.2.  Types of project for funding

The Foundation shall favor development-oriented programs or projects where poor families or communities can tangibly benefit from within three months to one year of project implementation.  These programs or projects should:

• Respond to the problems of poverty and deprivation;
• Viable, sustainable and replicable;
• Have strong community participation;
• Have specific and measurable results;
• Be environment-friendly and gender-sensitive;
• Build on the experience of the proponent in delivering the intended results.

It is important that the proposal discusses the issues of poverty in the community and how these are addressed by the proposed project. 

Priority Programs

1. Health.  Programs or projects designed for improved and sustained health conditions in poor communities such as capacity building in health care for sickness prevention, community enhancement in alternative medicine, and other developmental community based health programs.  Medical missions and other one-time dole-out health needs are encouraged to seek assistance from government agencies.

• Livelihood Development.  This involves individual and group lending or enterprise development for projects that could generate employment and income for the poor.

• Alternative and Practical Skills Development.  Alternative learning for individuals who are willing to increase or enhance their skills for gainful employment or start a business enterprise.

• Housing.  Providing decent housing to poor families who have acquired security of land tenure but are unable to meet housing construction needs.  Should funds be available, bridge-financing for land acquisition or purchase may also be considered.

3.3.  Eligibility of Project Applicants

Project proponents must be non-profit organizations such as social action centers, parish social services and development ministries, church-mandated organizations involved with the poor, parish cooperatives and non-government and people’s organizations.  The project proponent shall be assessed on the following:

1. Capability to manage and implement proposed projects as proven by their track record and experience of at least two years in similar development projects.
2. Sound and functional management system as indicated by the presence of financial records and books of accounts, audited financial reports, set of financial systems, policies and procedures.
3. Clear vision-mission-goals as well as management structures and strong organizational leadership.
4. Credibility with the beneficiary community or organization.
5. Ability to prepare reports (progress, terminal and financial reports).

3.4.  Limitations of Pondo ng Pinoy funding

Pondo ng Pinoy assistance shall be given either as loans or grants.  It shall cover only direct project costs.  Direct project costs refer to direct materials and labor to be incurred or revolving fund for lending to be used in providing the service or product to the community or sector.  Administrative costs, e.g. salaries, staff development, equipment, and other management and overhead expenses, shall form part of the proponent’s counterpart.

3.5.  Required application documents

1. Project Proposal
2. Endorsement/Approval of Local Ordinary (Bishop)
3. Notarized Board Resolution of the Organization or Pastoral Council Resolution
4. List and profile of beneficiaries
5. Location map showing project site/s
6. Basic Profile of the Officers of the Organization and Project Management Committee members

Other documents (where applicable)

1. Design and specifications
2. Training Design
3. Business Plan or Feasibility Study
4. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Registration
5. Philippine Council for NGO Accreditation (PCNC)
6. Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Registration
7. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Registration
8. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Accreditation

3.6.  Submission and processing schedules of project proposals

Interested organizations may submit their project proposals from July to March.  Applications received after March 31 will be considered in the following fiscal year.  Pondo ng Pinoy fiscal year commences on July 1 of the current year to June 30 of the following year.
Processing of project proposals commences upon receipt of complete application documents.  Incomplete proposals shall be returned to the Diocesan Pondo ng Pinoy Desk for completion of the concerned proponents.

3.7.  Approval and release of funds

A project proposal must be submitted by a qualified proponent with the endorsement of the Parish Priest, for legitimacy of project and proponent in his jurisdiction, to the Diocesan Pondo ng Pinoy Desk for processing and recommendation for approval.

The diocesan bishops are authorized to approve project proposals valued up to THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (Php300,000).  The bishop must state in his endorsement/approval letter the merits of the project.  The National Management Office reviews these approved projects in order to help proponents comply with the guidelines, thus facilitating the processing and release of funds.

The Projects Screening Subcommittee undertakes evaluation and recommendation for approval of projects beyond THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS.  The Programs Committee gives the final approval to such recommended projects, and the Board of Trustees ratifies approved projects submitted by the Programs Committee.

Proposed projects with a budget higher than THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS require more stringent screening.  Additional information may be asked, and other professional development practitioners in the diocese may be tapped to help assess the feasibility and cost-efficiency of the proposal.

The processing of proposals generally takes approximately two months to complete.

3.8.  Process for release of funds

All funds for approved projects shall be released to the Roman Catholic Bishop of the dioceses within two weeks after the receipt and notarization of the signed Memorandum of Agreement between the proponent and Pondo ng Pinoy.  The diocese shall be notified should there be any delay in the release of funds.

The National Management Office observes the following guidelines in the release of project funds:

1. That the proponent shall observe a separate bookkeeping and accounting of funds in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and standards;
2. That subsequent releases of funds will depend on the satisfactory performance of the project and the submission of report on the utilization of funds and narrative report on project accomplishments vis-à-vis targets and other deliverables.

3.9.  Project Monitoring and Evaluation All funded projects are required to submit a quarterly Progress/Monitoring Report duly verified by the Diocesan Pondo ng Pinoy Desk.  After project completion, an Evaluation Team shall be constituted to conduct evaluation on the outcome of the project.  Financial reports are integrated component of Progress/Monitoring and Terminal Reports.