Community involvement in project monitoring established a sense of ownership among the beneficiaries.

Recently, the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) conducted a Citizen Monitoring Training (CMT) for the 3.6 km Concreting of R. Ecleo to Upper Laguna Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) in Cagdianao, Province of Dinagat Islands amounting to PHP108 million.

CMT is one of PRDP’s innovations that helps ensure each FMR recipient LGUs will have its own community-based monitoring team by undergoing training.

Photo op after the field monitoring activity of the participants. (Photo by RPCO 13)

The training includes basic infrastructure guidelines, Social and Environmental Safety, and Geotagging. After the training, the monitoring team can help in checking how the project is being implemented like during the pouring of cement. They can also record and report any problem they encountered during their monitoring or site inspection.

There are 32 participants from the Provincial Project Management Implementing Unit (PPMIU), Civil Society Organization (CSO), Barangay and Proponent Group (PG), APCO, and Contractor.

The R.E. Ecleo – Upper Laguna farm-to-market road starts at the junction of the national road located at Purok 5, Barangay R.E. Ecleo. The FMR traverses the barangays of Ma-atas and Sta. Rita and connects Brgy. Laguna where it ends at the built-up area named Sitio Upper Laguna.

Bunkhouse visit . Participants review and scan the construction plan as well as its monthly target and accomplishment of  the contractor. (Photo by RPCO 13)

The FMR will link to the national road were the proposed buying station and processing center are connected. It is in support to the proposed integrated cassava processing facility to be established by the A&M Multipurpose at Bgry. Luna, San Jose, Dinagat Islands.

By upgrading the old road, it will be more convenient and accessible for them to transport their agricultural products from their areas to market. It will also reduce their travel time by 31% from the current travel time of 4.70 minutes per kilometer to 3.04 minutes and increase the traffic count by 3%.

Another target of the project is to reduce the post-harvest losses in transporting their agricultural products and its transportation and hauling costs by 50%.

This FMR is currently 23.24% completed. It is expected that there will be a tight monitoring of this project. (with reports from RPCO 13/ Joy Montecalvo)