To the Local Government Unit of Paoay, true success in project implementation lies in working hand in hand with the people.

But how does a local government navigate the challenges of executing PRDP-funded subprojects? Mr. James Galano, head of the Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) Unit of LGU Paoay, shares seven lessons from their experience.

1. Strong Government Support. When the government fully backs initiatives that benefit its people, they pave the way for the development in the community. Under the Philippine Rural Development Project, Paoay has completed two major subprojects—the Rehabilitation of Nalasin-Sungadan-Langiden Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) and the Rehabilitation of Paoay Communal Irrigation System. Investment for these infrastructures is valued at Php 203.9M.

Mr. James Galano credits the success of the subprojects to the strong support of the Paoay Local Government Unit and the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte.

“We were very successful sa mga projects namin because of the government’s support. Nakita namin iyong support ng municipal and provincial government,” he said. (We were very successful in our projects because of the government’s support. We can see the support of the municipal and provincial government.)

2. No matter how far and difficult it is, look for the rightful owner. In the initial implementation of the Rehabilitation of Nalasin-Sungadan-Langiden FMR, the only struggle identified by Mr. James Galano was in reaching out to project-affected persons (PAPs) who own parcels of land in the subproject site but are no longer residing in the area.
“May mga iba kasi na nasa Alcala, Pangasinan. May owner din na nakatira na sa Manila,” he said. (There are some who are in Alcala, Pangasinan. There is also an owner residing in Manila.)

The owner in Manila has a 12-hectare property where around 1200 square meters will be needed for the FMR subproject.

“Mahirap, dahil unang-una he was a cancer patient. Pero naintindihan agad niya. The first time na pumunta ako, I met him, nag-usap lang kami. Sabi niya, it’s good kasi pwede na akong magpatayo ng kubo doon sa property ko, na matagal ko nang hindi nakikita. So noong ipinaalam namin (about the project), kaagad niyang binigay iyong kanyang ID, and pumirma siya sa document. We were very glad. Kahit alam namin noon na kailangan niya din iyong pera, pero hindi siya humingi,” Galano added.

(It was difficult because, first of all, he was a cancer patient. But he understood right away. The first time I went there and met him, we just talked. He said it was good because he could finally build a small hut on his property, which he hadn’t seen in a long time. So, when we presented the documents, he immediately gave his ID and signed the documents. We were very glad. Even though we knew he also needed the money, he never asked for it.)

3. Teamwork. Working together with the right people results in better outcomes. “When we work, it is always a team,” says Galano. “It is always a team of the municipal assessor, municipal planning officer, our office (municipal engineering office), and the municipal agriculture office.”

The team’s hands-on approach is essential in ensuring that every community member understands the value of the project. They make it a point to visit the field together, engaging directly with the community to explain the significance of the subprojects.

“Sama-sama kaming pumupunta nag-eexplain para mas mapabilis. Lahat may expertise. So as an assessor, ma-eexplain niya, ‘Ganito kasi iyong lupa niyo, ito iyong property niyo.’ On our part naman iyong mga benefits niya,” Galano said.
(We go together as a team and explain things to speed up the process. Everyone brings their expertise. As an assessor, they can explain, ‘This is your land, this is your property.’ On our part, we explain the benefits of the project.)

4. Organized associations. In the implementation of the Paoay Communal Irrigation System, having an irrigator’s association (IA) already in place made the procedures easier for LGU Paoay. While the site had existing structures, they were mostly temporary, and the association played a crucial role in convincing landowners to make way for the subproject.

“Wala kaming affected na PAPs kasi talagang existing na iyong canal since the 1800s,” Mr. Galano shared. “Iyon nga lang, natabunan na. Doon na sila nagpatayo sa mismong canal. Kaya hindi mo na makikita iyong canal. Nagpatayo na sila ng mga hindi naman permanent structures. Like kulungan ng baboy, CRs lang. It was easy to convince them lalo at they have organized irrigators’ associations. Even the farmers themselves, the members of the IA, would say that it would be good kung ma-revive iyong CIS. Of which ngayon, nagse-second cropping na sila ng rice aside from their main product, which is the onion and tomato.”

(We don’t have any affected PAPs because the canal has actually existed since the 1800s. However, it had been covered over time. People built structures directly on the canal, which is why it’s no longer visible. They constructed non-permanent structures like pigpens and toilets. It was easy to convince them, especially since they have organized irrigators’ associations. Even the farmers themselves, who are members of the IA, said that reviving the CIS would be beneficial. Now, they are already doing second cropping of rice, aside from their main products, which are onions and tomatoes.)

5. Consultation Dialogues. In PRDP’s SES guidelines, meaningful consultation with the person’s affected and other stakeholders in the proposed subproject is mandatory.

“We do not only consult the concerned PAPs,” Galano explained.
Aside from the lot owners, the support from the different sectors of the community should be considered. It was an important step in which the LGU made sure that the community’s voices were heard and any issues and concerns were addressed in the pre-implementation stage.

“We even have to do the consultation twice,” he added.

6. Use of Social Media Platforms. In this digital age, using social media to settle grievances can do the work. If properly regulated, such can save time and resources for both the complainant and the implementing LGU.

“May Facebook page na sarili ang CIS. Doon sa FB page, iyong mga reklamo po ng mga andun na nadaanan along the CIS, doon nila pinapadaan,” Galano explained. (The CIS has its own Facebook page. On that FB page, affected people along the CIS route submit their complaints.)

In another situation, the page was also used to help one of the residents that were affected by the flood during a typhoon. “Lagi naman silang nababaha pero since andoon iyong mga equipment namin, nagreach out sila na ‘Could you please help us? Mababaha na kami.’ Sabi namin tutal andun naman na iyong equipment namin at rumaragasa po iyong tubig, tulungan na namin sila. Pumunta iyong engineer namin, municipal engineer, resident engineer, at engineer ng contractor. Pumunta po sila sa site kahit bumabagyo,” he said

(They always experience flooding, but since our equipment was there, they reached out and asked, ‘Could you please help us? We’re about to get flooded.’ We said that since our equipment was already there and the water was rushing, we would help. We received the request through the Facebook page. Our engineer, the municipal engineer, the resident engineer, and the contractor’s engineer went to the site despite the storm.)

During the implementation stage of the proposed CIS, additional issues, such as the debts of workers at the site’s stores, were also raised on the Facebook page.

“Di po natin maiiwasan iyong mga trabahador natin na may utang. Diyan sa FB page din nila dinadaan,” Galano said.

(We can’t avoid having some of our workers who have debts. They also submit those issues through the Facebook page.)

The complainant reported that the workers had not paid for their snacks and refreshments. In response, the LGU contacted the contractor’s representative, but the contractor himself personally arrived to address and resolve the issue.

“Tinawag po namin si representative ni contractor pero ang dumating po ay si mismong contractor. Tinawag din po iyong nagsend sa fb page ng listahan. So ayon pinag-usap namin sila. Binayaran ni contractor. Nagsorry siya. At sinabihan niya iyong tao niya. Kasi matagal din na po iyong utang na un,” he added.

(We called the contractor’s representative, but the contractor himself arrived. We also called the person who sent the list on the Facebook page. So, we had them talk. The contractor paid the debt, apologized, and spoke to his worker because that debt had been long overdue.)

Rather than individuals posting negative comments about the project on their personal Facebook accounts, the CIS Facebook page has provided a platform where concerned individuals can safely voice their complaints and work together to find solutions.

The Paoay CIS Facebook Page can be accessed at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064641340926

7. Community Support. For the LGU Paoay, the community agreeing immediately with the implementation of a project is a blessing. The PAPs during the implementation of the Rehabilitation of Nalasin-Sungadan-Langiden FMR were some 129 households. Around 50-70% of their landholdings were used for the construction of the road.

“They were very cooperative. Wala kaming pinangako sa kanila na kapalit. We just explained to them the benefits of the project. Kailangan lang namin na i-convince sila,” Mr. Galano said.

(They were very cooperative. We didn’t promise them anything in return. We just explained the benefits of the project. We only needed to convince them.)

The 129 PAPs didn’t receive any compensation. The only condition requested by one of the landowners was for the LGU to process the cutting permit and ask the DENR to give the logs to the affected person.

“Pumayag naman sila and inaplyan din po namin ng transport permit para kung in case na magpapagawa siya ng furniture, hindi po siya huhulihin aside from may tree cutting permit. Kami iyong nagpaputol, kami pa iyong nagbayad ng transport permit,” he explained. “Iyon na iyon. Compensation niya not in the form na diretsang pera pero mga services po ang binibigay namin. And aside from that, pagpapapanotaryo, paglalakad ng mga papel, sa amin po lahat un. Wala po silang ginastos na pera.”

(They agreed, and we also applied for a transport permit so that in case they wanted to have furniture made, they wouldn’t get penalized. Aside from the tree-cutting permit, we were the ones who cut the trees and even paid for the transport permit. That was it. Their compensation wasn’t in the form of direct cash but through the services we provided. Aside from that, we also handled notarization and processing of documents—all of it was on us. They didn’t spend any money at all.)

With such support from the community, LGU Paoay, in its third proposed subproject under the Scale-Up funding of PRDP, the “Ubbog Bridge with Approaches,” was approved by the Regional Project Advisory Board 1 in December 2024. This year, the LGU is awaiting the National Project Coordination Office’s issuance of No Objection Letter 1.

“The same din dito sa Ubbog bridge siyempre may 300 meters na approach. Meron pong 97% of the lot ay affected, pero sabi niya ever since naman di ko nagagamit iyan and yet binabayaran ko ng buo. Kaya they are willing kasi nga mababawas naman (sa tax). Kumbaga minimal na iyong babayaran nila,” Galano said.

(It’s the same here with the Ubbog Bridge—of course, there’s a 300m approach. About 97% of the lot is affected, but the owner said, ‘I’ve never really used that land, yet I’ve been paying the full amount in taxes.’ So, they were willing because their tax burden would be reduced. In a way, they would only have to pay a minimal amount.)