“This is one important tool to measure the use/benefit of our farm-to-market road. In conducting Citizen’s Monitoring Tool, even the smallest detail is scrutinized if it goes with the prescribed standards.”

This is the message Regional Project Coordination Office -6 Deputy Project Director Manuel O. Olanday imparted to the participants during the conduct of Citizen’s Monitoring Tool Training for Passi and Dueñas in Iloilo on July 17-20, 2018.

It is important for the local government and the community to be vigilant, especially during the construction stage, added Olanday.

“If you see that something is wrong, report it. Who knows, it might lead to ordinances. If you want to prolong this road, each barangay must be made aware. You are the watchdog because you are the recipients. Should we fail to do our part, in two to three years time, you will once again be faced with the same problem. We don’t want to go back to that picture,” he said.

Regional Project Coordination Office -6 Deputy Project Director Manuel O. Olanday calls on every member of the community to be watchdogs, especially in the construction stage of farm-to-market roads. This is ensure that FMRs implemented by the Philippine Rural Development Project is within the prescribed standards.

One important topic which came up during one of the activity’s open forum was the issue on road safety.

According to residents/participants during the CMT, there have been cases of accidents along the stretch of the FMRs funded by the PRDP in Passi and Duenas.

These cases of accidents were noted in the barangays but were not properly reported to the Project.

In Salngan, Passi, a student died. Possible factor identified might be the lack of signages in the area.

An almost similar case was registered in Maribuyong, Dueñas where two children fell in the drainage – possibly due to the absence of signages.

RPCO-6 I-BUILD Component Head Engr. Andrew Margarico appreciated the inputs coming from the participants and assured that these cases will be up for validation and verification with the PRDP team.

“All of your comments were noted. We will be going back in the stretch of our FMRs in Passi and Dueñas to validate these reports. Surely this issue will be acted upon and hopefully, accidents would be avoided,” said Engr. Margarico.

During the open forum, participants talk about the number of accidents that occurred along the stretch of the FMRs. RPCO-6 I-BUILD Component Head Engr. Andrew Margarico ensures participants and beneficiaries that such observations will be acted up to avoid further accidents.

The CMT is a participatory mechanism and serves as a platform in gathering and processing feedbacks on subproject implementation in two scopes i) quality and ii) social and environmental safeguards.

The CMT’s main goal is to ensure that projects implemented are in accordance with the prescribed design, standards, and timelines.

Also, by embedding a sense of ownership to the community through monitoring and reporting, the findings are bases in providing professional connective measures to maintain integrity of subprojects. (September Noon A. Macahilo, PSO InfoACE)