Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (3rd, left) and World Bank (WB) Rural Development Specialist Samik Sundar Das (2nd, left) lead the opening of the exhibit during the First WB Implementation Support Review Mission Kick-off Meeting on August 24, 2015. The exhibit features the accomplishments and updates on the Philippine Rural Development Project—a P27-billion project funded through a loan from WB and equities from the National Government and Local Government Units. The kick-off meeting officially starts the month-long joint review and assessment of the PRDP and the WB on various proposed and implemented projects. Also in the photo are PRDP National Project Director and DA Undersecretary Emerson Palad (left) and PRDP National Deputy Project Director Arnel De Mesa (right). (Photo by: Kathrino Resurreccion, DA-PRDP) WB conducts review on DA’s rural development projects
A team from the World Bank (WB) will visit several sub-projects implemented under the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) to assess the progress of the Project and address issues and concerns in implementation.
As of August 14, 2015 the Project has already allotted over P12 billion (B) in funds for the implementation of various sub-projects which include farm-to-market roads, bridges, potable water system and production, processing, and marketing support activities envisioned to boost the value chain of agricultural commodities in the rural areas.
Of the amount P10.96-B has been approved for infrastructure projects funding under the Infrastructure Development (I-BUILD) component, while P1.62-B is allocated for production, processing, and marketing activities of agri-fishery products under the Enterprise Development (I-REAP) component.
A total of 10 infrastructure projects worth P297.61-M are now ongoing-implementation and are over 50% complete, while 33 other infrastructure projects worth P2.02-B are below 50% in progress. Sixteen sub-projects worth P616.85 million (M) have been approved for implementation, through the issuance of No-Objection Letter 2 (NOL-2) and 124 sub-projects amounting to P8-B have been approved for funding and have been given NOL-1.
Under the I-REAP component, 10 sub-projects worth P78.65-M have been approved for funding. Among these is the calamansi marketing and trading project of the Naujan Farmers’ Association in Oriental Mindoro which recently received P700, 000.00 worth of cheque from the PRDP. Last June, the PRDP also transferred P20-M worth of checks to the Polo Samahang Nayon Cooperative to jumpstart their cassava granules production and marketing project.
As PRDP moves to boost the economy in the rural areas through financial grants to rural development projects, it continues to capacitate the LGUs in planning and implementing sub-projects.
“Together with local governments, the academe, the business sector and other grassroots stakeholders, we have endeavored to develop the right tools to determine the right investments for the development of commodities produced by our farmers and fishers,” explained DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala.
The PRDP has also introduced modern tools to help identify, validate, and monitor sub-projects under the Project.
“We have instituted reforms in planning among local government units using scientific and evidence-based tools that ensure development initiatives on agriculture are responsive to the needs of specific localities. Through these reforms, we contribute to the eradication of patronage politics that perpetuates corruption and hampers delivery of services to areas where these are needed most,” added Alcala.
The Expanded-Vulnerability and Suitability Assessment (E-VSA) Tool for instance, a user online tool takes account of socio economic indicators to help target interventions under the Project.
The Applied Goetagging (AGT) on the other hand is used to validate and monitor progress of sub-projects under the PRDP. Through the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology in smartphones, photographs of proposed and implemented sub-projects can be laid out in Google Earth and be viewed online.
With AGT identifying the exact location of projects, ghost and overlapping projects will be avoided.
“Certainly, the PRDP has become an avenue to foster participation, an indispensable element of good governance that this administration promotes.
Through the PRDP, we have been able to further mainstream our good governance agenda,” said Alcala.
The DA-PRDP has also strengthened the protection of beneficiaries and people affected by project implementation through the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM).
Through the GRM, the Project is ready to accept and address, grievances, complaints, and suggestions of the public in relation to the better implementation of the sub-projects.
Prior to the visit of the WB officials to PRDP sub-projects, a kick-off meeting was held on August 24, 2015 at the DA-Bureau of Soils and Water Management Convention Hall in Quezon City. The team from the WB was be led by its Task Team Leader for PRDP Mr. Samik Sundar Das.
Officials from WB and DA-PRDP will visit projects in Palawan for South Luzon cluster, Isabela for North Luzon cluster, Misamis Occidental and Lanao del Norte for Mindanao cluster, and Bohol for Visayas cluster.
