Five local government unit (LGU) partners in Bicol were among the 56 exemplary Safeguards Practitioners recognized during the Department of Agriculture Philippine Rural Development Project’s (DA PRDP) 1st Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) Forum with Partner LGUs held in Cagayan De Oro City, Misamis Oriental on March 4, 2024. 

Forester Adelina Abejero, SES Unit Head of the Municipal Project Management and Implementation Unit (MPMIU) of Palanas, Masbate, was recognized as Exemplary Performing Safeguards Practitioner Awardee for the SES Focal Person Category. MPMIU-Placer, Masbate was named the Exemplary Performing Safeguards Practitioner Awardee for the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) Category. Ma. Teressa M. Lumbao, MPMIU-Placer SES Unit Head received the award.

Meanwhile, MPMIU-Pio Duran, Albay and the Provincial Project Management and Implementation Unit (PPMIU) of Catanduanes received the same commendation for the Environment and Social Management Framework and Land Acquisition and Resettlement Policy Framework and Mainstreaming Category, respectively. The award was accepted by Engr. Aldino Bazar, MPMIU Head and Mayor Alan Arandia of MPMIU-Pio Duran, Albay, and Mayra Ona-Rama, Assistant Provincial Assessor/Acting Provincial Assessor of PPMIU-Catanduanes. Moreover, MPMIU-Polangui, Albay was also honored as one of the Exemplary Performing Safeguards Practitioner Awardees. MPMIU Head Dr. Lalaine Baldemoro received the certificate of recognition. 

The said LGUs were selected based on their compliance to the Integrated Environmental and Social Safeguards Framework (IESSF) as well as their application of the safeguards processes and tools before and during project implementation. 

Abejero, Lumbao, Bazar and Rama had the opportunity to share their best practices and experiences in integrating SES in project implementation during the forum.

“Ang pagiging SES Focal ay hindi birong role para sa ganitong napakaganda at napakalaking project. We need to maintain ‘yung strict compliance doon sa mga safeguards (requirements and standards). So alam ko na ako, bilang SES Focal, kailangan ko one by one, ano ‘ yung mga nandoon sa safeguards na dapat ma-comply ng LGU in the sense po na hindi naaapektuhan ‘yung implementation ng project, at the same time, ‘ yung impact sa social and sa environment ay ma-address or ma-mitigate especially po sa mga tao, sa mga magsasaka na nandyan and of course ‘yung ating kalikasan, ‘yung environment natin na as much as possible ma-lessen ‘yung impact ng implementation nung project,” Abejero said.

Lumbao, for her part, highlighted the positive impact of GRM in implementing DA PRDP subprojects saying “Itong GRM ng PRDP medyo ma-proseso, pero kung titingnan natin sa proseso, mas napapadali ang trabaho kung itinatama natin at sinusunod natin kung ano ang dapat nating ginagawa base sa guidelines. Mas napapaganda ang implementation (ng subproject), mas informed ‘yung community, mas napa-process ang documents at napakaganda ng resulta.”  

DA PRDP Bicol Deputy Project Director Adelina Losa, SES Officer Teresita Blanqueza, and Associate SES Officers Cherry De Juan and Froilan Rempillo also attended the event.

SES is a unit of the DA PRDP Implementation Support to PRDP (I-SUPPORT) component, which operates under the principle “Do no harm” and “Do more good.” It guarantees that the subprojects implemented by the PRDP do not have a negative impact on people or the environment. # (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit with reports from Teresita Blanqueza, DA PRDP RPCO V SES Unit)

Photo Credits: Froilan Rempillo, DA PRDP RPCO V SES Unit