Tandubas, Tawi-tawi Province – Residents in here are expecting better outcome of the ongoing construction of farm-to-market road as they are now part of the monitoring team.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Unit (RPCO-ARMM) headed by Engr. Jheyhan Campong, with Project Support Office-Mindanao headed by Joseph Rico recently conducted the citizen monitoring training participated in by representatives from barangay local government unit, school principal, residents, and farmer beneficiaries.

The training included an overview and discussion of the citizen monitoring framework, monitoring instrument, applied geo-tagging of subprojects, and guidelines in social and environmental safeguard compliance monitoring.

The concreting of Kepeng-Ungus Matata FMR which started last April 2018 has 14.65% accomplishment as of August.

According to RPCO IBUILD head, Engr. Mhohiden Acoymo, continues strict monitoring of the project implementation is vital in ensuring the quality result of the project.

“We are very thankful for the training especially on the very interesting lecture on I-BUILD component checklist and Social Environmental Safety. Before, we had no idea about monitoring the road project but thanks to PRDP, we can now help in monitoring,” said Principal Madsaib Sabbaha of Kepeng Elementary School.

“I think this is a good project and the best project we have so far. There’s transparency because of the monitoring team,” added Sabbaha.

Aside from the lecture, participants had a project site visit, bunk house inspection and field testing of the monitoring instrument. The observations they noted during the field trip were consolidated and presented at the end of the training.

The 3.6 kilometer road will direct benefit the 4,317 individual farmers and residents in Barangay Kepeng and Tangngah Ungus matata whose main source of income are farming cassava, coconut, fishing, and seaweeds.

“Before the road construction here, it was really difficult for us especially when we have to go home from farm bringing all our harvest. We usually carry our produce on the back since the path is really small and difficult to traverse. We used our body to transport our harvest,” said farmer Timhar A. Jawali.

The usual mode of transportation among farmers in delivering their farm produce is by walking or by using a wood wagon.

“If ever this project will be completed, we might not only use this wood wagon but maybe we can hire jeepneys to bring our harvest from farm to market,” he added. (Joy M. Montecalvo)