Over 40 staff including rural infrastructure engineers (RIEs), Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) officers, and geographic information system (GIS) specialists from the Department of Agriculture Philippine Rural Development Project (DA PRDP) South Luzon cluster participated in the Training on Mainstreaming and Retooling of I-BUILD Operations Manual and Preparation of Detailed Engineering Design (Technical Drawing Plans and Program of Works) for Farm-to-Market Roads and Bridges for PRDP Scale-Up held in Legazpi City, Albay on June 12-13, 2024. 

The activity aimed to harmonize the knowledge and action plans of DA PRDP CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, and Bicol infrastructure development (I-BUILD) component, SES, and Geo-mapping and Governance Unit (GGU) in mainstreaming PRDP tools and innovations in rural infrastructure. The activity was also designed to expand their knowledge on the I-BUILD Operation Manual and DED preparation for rural roads and bridges which will be applied for the upcoming implementation of DA PRDP Scale-Up-funded I-BUILD subprojects. 

In her message, DA PRDP Bicol Deputy Project Director Adelina Losa thanked the DA PRDP South Luzon for the initiative. She stated that retooling is essential to sustain the quality of project implementation. 

“Retooling is a way of improving our capacities, our attitude towards the work in everything… Sana dito sa retooling, makita natin ano ba talaga ang ini-expect… ang performance indicator, ano ba ang kailangang malaman not only ng mga engineers, ng lahat, para at least, ma-meet ang expectations ng PRDP. Mayroon ngang kasabihan, ‘Even the old dogs must learn new tricks,’” she said. 

For his part, DA PRDP South Luzon Deputy Project Director Milo Delos Reyes, urged the participants to take the opportunity to leave a positive legacy to the Project and to the community. \

“Kailangan mag-iwan tayo ng legacy sa ginagawa natin. Dalawa lang ang puwede mong iwanan na legacy: negative legacy or positive legacy. You should be serious. At the end of the day, kailangan nating mag-iwan ng positive legacy dahil kung hindi natin gagawin ang trabaho, negative legacy ang maiiwan lagi,” he said.    

DA PRDP National Project Coordination Office (NPCO) I-BUILD Roads and Bridges Specialist Engr. Frederick Agasen discussed the mainstreaming of PRDP tools, innovation and rural infrastructure and I-BUILD Operations Manual (PRDP Scale-Up). He also lectured on detailed engineering design preparation for rural roads and bridges, construction supervision and sustainability in terms of operations and maintenance. Moreover, DA PRDP NPCO SES Officer Romaeca Joy Pascual oriented the participants on the updated SES frameworks and guidelines under PRDP Scale-Up. 

According to DA Bicol Rural Infrastructure Engineers Eliseo Buella, Adrian Briones, and Jimbo Bjorn Salceda, the training boost his confidence in implementing infrastructure subprojects under the PRDP Scale-Up.

 “It’s refreshing and important to revisit the Operation Manual, now that the PRDP Scale-Up is being implemented. Equipped with this knowledge, one can’t be wronged when facing hard issues and decision making is based on the PRDP Scale-Up guidelines,” Buella said.

Briones agreed saying, “Subprojects that are funded by the World Bank through the Department of Agriculture must meet stricter standards. PRDP Scale-Up requires more drive and expertise, not only from the LGUs, but also from the consultants. As an RIE, we must follow the PRDP Scale-Up standards and exercise due diligence to ensure the quality of all subprojects to continue serving the beneficiaries for an extended period.”

Moreover, according to Salceda, the training refreshed his knowledge about PRDP guidelines and introduced him to new and more effective guidelines gained from previous projects as well as expanded his understanding of PRDP Scale-Up.

“It enhanced my decision-making skills because I am more confident now with the new learnings that I acquired from the retooling. It also strengthened may management skills. I can now apply the lessons learned from the previous Original Loan, first additional financing (AF1) and second additional financing (AF2) projects,” he said.

In his Closing Remarks, PRDP PSO South Luzon Project Director Fidel Libao remarked that the activity was relevant and timely especially as the Project hurdles challenges and transitions to Scale-Up implementation. Libao and his team conducted a series of site visits to ongoing and completed I-BUILD subprojects in Bicol on June 12-14, 2024.

As of May 31, 2024, DA PRDP Bicol has 54 approved I-BUILD subprojects worth a total of P6.55 billion. These subprojects will benefit 973,227 population particularly farming and fishing communities in the region. Twenty-four subprojects with an aggregate amount of P6.55 billion were already completed, 15 of which were funded under the original loan, four were funded under the first additional financing, and five were funded by PRDP’s second additional financing. Twenty-three subprojects worth P4.68 billion under PRDP’s second additional financing are ongoing. Moreover, four subprojects worth P412.73 million, funded by PRDP Scale-Up are under procurement while three subprojects funded under the original loan and additional financing 2 were cancelled/terminated. # (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA PRDP RPCO V)

Photo Credits: John Victor D. Millendez, PRDP PSO South Luzon