Delegates from the World Bank visited and evaluated five ongoing infrastructure and enterprise subprojects in Quezon province funded under the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP). This visit aimed to provide support for the implementation of these subprojects, promoting their successful completion and sustainability.

The subprojects assessed were the following: Concreting of Farm-to-Market Road of Castañas-Sampaloc 2 with Line Canal and Bridge in Sariaya, Concreting of Sta. Monica-Sto. Niño-Manato Station Farm-to-Market Road in Tagkawayan, Concreting of San Vicente-Malaya Farm-to-Market Road in General Luna, Construction of Atulayan-Bislian-Pamatdan Farm-to-Market Road in Polilio, and the Coco Sugar Processing of Yakap at Halik Multi-purpose Cooperative Quezon 2. 

Site inspections, consultations, and meetings with the Quezon local government units and subproject contractors were conducted. The World Bank provided recommendations to facilitate proper and timely compliance with infrastructure, procurement, and social and environmental safeguards standards and processes.

Best practices were also identified by the World Bank, particularly from the farm-to-market road subproject implementation in Tagkawayan. As reported by the LGU and the contractor, the subproject is ahead by two months in its implementation schedule which was commended by the World Bank. The LGU was also lauded for engaging the community in the subproject implementation, particularly in cost control, monitoring, and road construction. Forty-five locals were hired for the subproject, providing them an additional source of income.

The subproject construction was also praised in the activity. To minimize the wear and tear of the completed works, the contractor started construction from Manato Station, the end point of the FMR, to Santa Monica, which is connected to the highway. Meanwhile, to ensure the prolonged integrity of the road, the contractor uses innovative materials and strategies in the road construction. 

“We are happy with the progress that has been made, which is very evident with the quality of the progress of the construction,” shared World Bank Co-Task Team Leader Maria Theresa Quiñones.

Before the World Bank visit concluded, all LGUs expressed their commitment to complete the subprojects and respond to their compliances. #

DA-PRDP RPCO 4A Project Director Engr. Romelo Reyes thanked the World Bank delegates for all their inputs on the ongoing subprojects. He urged the DA-PRDP offices and proponent LGUs to continue working together and to strengthen their coordination toward the timely and successful completion of the subprojects. (Photo by Myrelle Joy Bejasa)

Residents of General Luna, especially farmers, are already benefiting from the partially completed subproject as they can now haul their produce to the market more conveniently. (Photo by Myrelle Joy Bejasa)

World Bank Co-Task Team Leader Maria Theresa Quiñones (left), together with DA PRDP Scale-Up Deputy Project Director Angelita Martir (right) consulted local government representatives and community leaders of General Luna to check if the implementation complied with the DA-PRDP social and environmental safeguards. (Photo by Myrelle Joy Bejasa)

Engr. Asanza, together with the DA-PRDP also checked the quality of construction to ensure the infrastructure’s integrity and sustainability. (Photo by Myrelle Joy Bejasa)

Engr. Raoul Asanza from the World Bank led the inspection of the technical aspects of the infrastructure subprojects visited. He checked the compliance of the plans and actual structures to the DA-PRDP infrastructure standards. (Photo by Jayvee Millendez)

Co-Task Team Leader Quiñones, together with DA-PRDP SES Officers asked subproject beneficiaries in Tagkawayan how the subproject implementation affect their daily lives and their possible contributions to the subproject’s completion and sustainability. (Photo by Myrelle Joy Bejasa)