Child-sensitive Public Policy: Prioritizing Children in Public Budgets and Policies
For every child, stronger polices for stronger futures
UNICEF Philippines Child-Sensitive Public Policy Results 2025
In 2025, UNICEF Philippines supported reforms that help governments better plan, finance and track investments for children, including the country’s first Child-Responsive Public Financial Management Assessment, a new Child Budgeting and Expenditure Tracking Tool for local governments, and strengthened social protection policies at both national and BARMM levels.
2025 Highlights
Public finance reforms that put children first
What UNICEF Philippines helped achieve
- The Philippines launched its first-ever Child-Responsive Public Financial Management Assessment, providing a baseline analysis of how national and local budgets respond to children’s needs and identifying opportunities to strengthen child-focused public spending
- A new Joint Memorandum Circular for LGUs on the Child Budgeting and Expenditure Tracking Tool (CBETT) committed local government units to identifying, tracking, and monitoring investments and spending in child-responsive programmes
- Government partners advanced the Integrated Social Protection Framework and Adaptive Shock-Responsive Action Plan, strengthening preparedness and support for vulnerable populations during crises
- The BARMM government launched the Bangsamoro Social Protection Plan 2024–2028 and expanded its Beneficiary Data Management System to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of social protection services
How UNICEF Philippines contributed
- Maintained a strong partnership with the Department of Budget and Management to co-lead the Child-Responsive Public Financial Management Assessment and support the development of the CBETT
- Provided technical expertise, evidence, policy guidance and strategic advice that informed key social protection reforms
- Promoted children’s participation in public budgeting and governance through the Open Government Partnership.
In Focus
The challenge: Governments need reliable tools and evidence to ensure that public spending reaches programmes that improve children's lives and well-being.
UNICEF's contribution and impact: The Child Budgeting and Expenditure Tracking Tool (CBETT) helps local government units systematically identify, tag and monitor budget allocations and expenditures that benefit children.
Developed with support from UNICEF Philippines and government partners, CBETT strengthens accountability and evidence-based decision-making by helping local governments understand how resources are being invested in child-sensitive and child-focused programmes.
The tool is being rolled out nationwide in phases from 2025 and 2028, supporting a sustainable and scalable approach to improving public investment for children across the Philippines.
UNICEF Philippines/2025