“There’s a lot of room for improvements. We’re gearing up for implementation and that’s the real big challenge in the next few months not just for the cluster but for the regions and for the LGUs,” said Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) South Luzon Director Shandy M.  Hubilla  to summarize the two-day 2^nd World Bank Implementation Support Mission to PRDP South Luzon held on April 11-12, 2016 in Naga City.

A team of WB experts came to Bicol to assess the progress of the Project’s implementation, evaluate PRDP sub-project activities on the ground, identify the problems and compliance with protocols and recommend solutions to address them. Aside from conducting breakout sessions with national, regional and provincial component staff, the WB officials also conducted ocular  inspections of two sub-projects in Bicol namely: the Rehabilitation/Improvement of Pistola-Tablon Road with 3 Units Bridges in Oas, Albay, PRDP’s infrastructure development sub-project, and Camarines Norte Queen Pineapple Trading and Processing Project in Labo, Camarines Norte.

According to Lead Agriculture Economist and WB Task Team Leader Frauke Jungbluth, the best part of their job is seeing what really happens on the ground where the WB team gets to understand what’s going on, what works, what doesn’t work, what they can do better and how to improve procedures and strategies for smoother Project implementation.

The WB team particularly clarified issues on the planning and implementation of small livelihood projects for typhoon-affected communities in South Luzon misconstrued as dole out assistance but are small enterprises. On infrastructure sub-projects, they also urged the region to enforce sanctions on contractors and proponents who deliberately commit serious violations.

“There’s really a need to strictly enforce (sanctions) to let these contractors and LGUs know that we are into business of doing quality roads. If they don’t follow strictly, we need to enforce cancellation and termination,” PRDP Deputy Project Director Engr. Arnel V. De Mesa stressed.

The team also recommended to the project implementors to revisit financial modeling principles for enterprise development’s (I-REAP) financial assumptions and other required tools for analysis and urged the regions to orient their local government unit partners to follow good consultation process particularly on the Social and Environmental Safeguards aspect of the Project.

The team underscored the importance of regular monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and the big role of the DA regional office in ensuring that there is no overlapping of projects from different fund sources. It was also announced that the project will shift from MS Excel Based Reporting to Web-Based M&E System. Moreover, there will be improvements of the Document Tracking System and the Grievance Redress Mechanism will be actively promoted.

In response to the feedback and recommendations, Dr. Elena B. Delos Santos, PRDP-Bicol Deputy Project Director and concurrently OIC-Regional Executive Director, said “After this two-day activity, in the end, we benefit more from this activity by having it with us. It really pays to be your host because I have heard firsthand the things we have been encountering and as the concurrent Regional Project Director and at the same time the Deputy Project Director, I now know the things that I need to do in order to improve further the implementation of the Project.”

The two-day WB semiannual review of the PRDP implementation in South Luzon held in Bicol is the third leg of the 2nd World Bank Implementation Support Mission which were conducted in five other regions in Visayas and Mindanao. The team is proceeding to Clark, Pampanga before their exit conference in Manila on April  18, 2016.

During the Opening Program of the Project implementation review, delos Santos mentioned that after more than two years of PRDP implementation in the region, the total approved sub-projects including I-BUILD and I-REAP for Bicol amounts to P1.36 billion. It also has about P1.8 billion proposed sub-projects under the two components.

“We are confident and we know that the PRDP will make a big difference and improvement in the lives of our Bicolano populace. Directly, about 230,000 population will benefit and of course, the benefit will flow down to the remaining portions of our rural poor in the countryside,” she furthered.

PRDP is a six-year WB-assisted development project being implemented by the DA. The Project partners with LGUs and the private sector in providing key infrastructure, facilities and technology to raise farmers’ income and establish an inclusive, market-oriented and climate-resilient agri-fishery sector. (Annielyn L. Baleza, I-SUPPORT InfoACE Unit, DA-RAFIS 5)

Seated as panelists during the World Bank 2nd Implementation Support Mission to PRDP South Luzon Press Conference held on April 11, 2016 at Avenue Plaza Hotel were (L-R) Naga City Mayor John G. Bongat, PRDP PSO South Luzon Director Shandy M. Hubilla, PRDP Deputy Project Director Engr. Arnel V. De Mesa, Lead Agriculture Economist and World Bank Task Team Leader Frauke Jungbluth, and DA RFO V OIC-RED and PRDP RPCO V Deputy Project Director Dr. Elena B. Delos Santos. RPCO V InfoACE Unit Head and DA RFO V RAFIS Chief Emilia B. Bordado serves as moderator. (Photo Credit: Eduardo D. Collantes Jr.)

PRDP PSO South Luzon Procurement Specialist Arch. Maria Rhoda Lavinia Mendoza discusses the procurement requirements and criteria for evaluation during the Contractors’ Meeting as part of the World Bank 2nd Implementation Support Mission to PRDP South Luzon. (Photo Credit: Eduardo D. Collantes Jr)

LPMPC General Manager Mario M. Espeso discusses the cooperative’s operation with WB Institutional Specialist Douglas Forno and Economist Luningning Bondoc while touring them at the LPMPC stock room. (Photo Credit: Hermito Antonio T. Privaldos)

Camarines Norte Acting Governor Jonah G. Pimentel addresses the members of the LPMPC and other guests during the WB officials’ site visit to the Camarines Norte Queen Pineapple Trading and Processing Project in Labo, Camarines Norte. Seated at the head table (at the back, L-R) are NPCO I-REAP Component Head Dir. Bernadette San Juan, DA RFO V OIC-Regional Executive Director Dr. Elena B. De los Santos, NPCO I-PLAN Component Head Carlos L. Magnaye, WB I-PLAN Consultant Douglas Forno, WB Economist Luningning Bondoc, WB I-REAP Consultant Hanane Ahmed and WB Finance Consultant Tomas Sta. Maria. (Photo Credit: Hermito Antonio T. Privaldos)

(2nd from L-R) WB Finance Consultant Tomas Sta. Maria, WB I-PLAN Consultant Douglas Forno and WB Economist Luningning Bondoc look on as an LPMPC member weaves piña cloth, one of the Cooperative’s products made from pineapple fiber. (Photo Credit: Hermito Antonio T. Privaldos)

The World Bank team headed by Lead Agriculture Economist and Task Team Leader Frauke Jungbluth (in white), conducts an ocular inspection to the Rehabilitation/Improvement of Pistola-Tablon Road with 3 Units Bridges in Oas, Albay to assess the I-BUILD sub-project’s implementation on the ground. (Photo Credit: Eduardo D. Collantes Jr.)

The World Bank experts, NPCO, PSO, and RPCO component and unit heads discuss the findings of the breakout sessions and site visits and recommends procedures and strategies to improve the Project implementation during an exit conference in Avenue Plaza Hotel in Naga City on April 12, 2016 which concludes the World Bank 2nd Implementation Support Mission to PRDP South Luzon. (Photo Credit: Eduardo D. Collantes Jr.)