Financing Local Tobacco Control Lessons and Insights from Local Budgeting Rules, Instruments, and Practices

This study is based on the results of a 2021 research, which emphasized the need to mainstream tobacco control programs and projects through strategic budgeting. Taking off from this concept, this succeeding study aimed to estimate the possible total amount that the Philippine government may need, assuming that all LGUs up to the city and municipal levels will have a ‘starter kit’ budget – that is, one percent (1%) of either the annual local health budget or 1% of their Local Investment Plan for Health (LIPH).

In the process of estimating this needed amount, correspondence with different LGUs from different levels and income classes has provided valuable insights on the local budgeting system and the various behaviors and priorities of both the LGUs and the national government in the process. These include compliance of LGUs in terms of plans available for health, the presence of funds that can be used for multi-sectoral concerns or ‘convergence funding’, presence of statutory obligations of the LGUs, and the directions brought by mandates from the national government that attempt to ensure alignment of LGU PPAs with national plans. These provide a challenging landscape for pushing forward a budget solely for the TCP.