“Proyekto natin ito! (This is our project!)”

That is the watchword of the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) in South Luzon when promoting sense of ownership and social responsibility in implementing subprojects.

During the World Bank Review Mission to the infrastructure development (I-BUILD) subproject in Sipocot, Camarines Sur on August 16, the PRDP team observed the community’s commitment in implementing the Concreting of Manangle–Caima Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) in the municipality. The PRDP then recommended the conduct of a Citizens Monitoring Tool (CMT) Training to equip the residents with the skills needed in the effective monitoring of subproject.

On September 26–28, the PRDP Bicol, in partnership with the South Luzon Project Support Office (PSO) Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) unit, spearheaded the CMT training in the subproject site. The training participants are members of the Community Monitoring Teams of the six barangays in the road influence area, namely, Manangle, Bulawan, Gabi, Carayrayan, Binahian, and Caima. Representatives from the Provincial Project Management and Implementation Unit (PPMIU) of Camarines Sur, Municipality of Sipocot, and the contractor also attended the activity.

“Ang PRDP ay utang po natin sa World Bank. May investment po tayong lahat dito, ’yong ating mga anak at ang ating mga apo ay magbabayad ng share nila para sa proyektong ito. Ang proyektong ito ay hindi lamang para sa gobyerno kung hindi sa ating lahat (PRDP is a loan from the World Bank. All of us have investment in this, even our children and our grandchildren will be paying their share for this project. This project does not belong only to the government but to all of us),” PRDP South Luzon PSO M&E Officer Arvin San Juan said.

PRDP South Luzon PSO M&E Officer Arvin San Juan provides an overview of the Citizens Monitoring Tool training for the Concreting of the Manangle to Caima FMR subproject in Sipocot, Camarines Sur. The training of the Community Monitoring Team was held in Naga City on September 26. (Photo by Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP Bicol RPCO InfoACE Unit)

To highlight the citizens’ role in ensuring that the subproject is implemented on time, in good quality, and at the least cost, the participants were oriented about the monitoring instruments that they can use. These include the Applied Geotagging Technology and the Social and Environmental Safeguards tool such as the social and environmental construction-related impacts and items that monitor compliance to safeguards requirements.

The participants were also trained in using the Monitoring Guide Questions anchored on the five quality assurance elements namely Management Support System, Contract Review Processes, Inspection and Testing Procedures, Document Control Procedures, and Operation and Maintenance Procedures.

The training concluded with an actual field activity at the 19.15-kilometer Concreting of Manangle to Caima FMR subproject site. The CMT training is part of the PRDP’s effort to scale up public transparency and strengthen partnership with the communities.

The Community Monitoring Team conducts actual field activity at the Concreting of Manangle to Caima FMR subproject site. (Photo by Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP Bicol RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Using the citizen monitoring form, the Community Monitoring Team is tasked to conduct field works and geotag construction activities. Their findings will be sent to the Provincial Project Management and Implementation Unit (PPMIU) and to the PRDP Bicol Rural Infrastructure Engineer (RIE), while the filled out monitoring instruments will be consolidated by the Barangay Inspectorate Team (BIT).

A member of the BIT will consolidate the weekly and monthly observations by item of works including the dates and station numbers. The PPMIU, Community Monitoring Team, contractor and the Regional Project Coordination Office will conduct a meeting twice a month to discuss the findings, address issues and concerns, and provide advice on corrective measures, as necessary.

PRDP South Luzon PSO Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) Officer Liwayway Violeta discusses the citizens monitoring instrument containing items to monitor compliance to SES requirements. (Photo by Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP Bicol RPCO InfoACE Unit)

“Natutuwa ako sa training kasi dati ang alam ko dun sa pagpatrabaho basta nagpapatrabaho lang. Nabuksan ’yong isip namin na may mga dapat pala kaming malaman tungkol sa pagpapatrabaho, hindi lang ’yong basta matrabaho. May mga technicalities pala na dapat nakikita. Hanggang pagtanda ko, madadala ko ’yong mga kaaalaman na ’yon (I appreciated the training because I used to think that road construction simply involves construction activities. I was enlightened that there are certain technicalities that we need to learn so that the road will be constructed not merely out of compliance. I’ll carry this knowledge even when I grow old),” Barangay Chairman Noe Ilan of Brgy. Binahian in Sipocot, Camarines Sur said.

The training for the Community Monitoring Team in the Concreting of Manangle to Caima FMR subproject site is the first CMT training in the Bicol Region. The PRDP M&E team will conduct similar CMT trainings in Placer and Esperanza, Masbate in the fourth quarter of 2018. ### (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP Bicol RPCO InfoACE Unit) 

The Community Monitoring Team members pose for a photo after the three-day CMT training for the monitoring of the Concreting of Manangle to Caima FMR subproject in Sipocot, Camarines Sur. (Photo by Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP Bicol RPCO InfoACE Unit)