To ensure a smooth-sailing implementation of subprojects implemented under the DA’s Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), project staff and key partners convened for a joint assessment and planning workshop.

The activity was held at the Kalinga Farmers Academy, Tabuk City, Kalinga on March 9, 2017. It aimed to assess how PRDP in the region has progressed in the first quarter, how to shape up strategies in order to fast track implementation and procurement processes, and the approval of the other lined-up subprojects.

“Issues and concerns from the different components and from the Provincial Project Management and Implementing Units (PPMIUs) as well should be brought out and talked over during assessments” stressed Dr. Lorenzo M. Caranguian, DA-CAR Regional Executive Director and Regional Project Coordination Office – CAR (RPCO-CAR) Project Director.

The activity included discussions on the status of ongoing and proposed subprojects in North Luzon Cluster; subproject phasing across stages – actual versus prescribed timelines; and CARPCO progress reports from the different components and units.

Among the major issues raised were on the disbursement of funds for the approval of additional financing from the World Bank, subproject prioritization for 2017 funding, status of ongoing subprojects, and the slow phasing across implementation stages.

Deputy Project Director Elma Mananes of PRDP Project Support Office (PSO) encouraged the PPMIUs to persuade the contractors of the ongoing subprojects to request for mobilization costs in order to reach the Project’s target disbursement by June 2017 as a requirement for the additional financing.

Mananes further explained that Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) proposals that will be funded under the additional financing will soon undergo prioritization criteria under the National Project Coordination Office (NPCO) level before its approval. The said criteria are yet to be released. However, PPMIUs were advised to conduct preliminary measures regarding the subproject prioritization.

As for the slow phasing across implementation stages, the project staff(s) and PPMIUs were advised to complete and finalize proposals, feasibility studies and other documents before presenting to the Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) for endorsement.

Other issues that were raised include the negative slippage status of ongoing FMRs. As such, project staff from the other components and units to visit project sites and attend to the Project Affected Persons (PAPs) to avoid delays/ issues that may result to negative slippage.

To date, there are four FMR subprojects that are ongoing, four with No Objection Letter 2 (NOL2), one with No Objection Letter 1 (NOL1), and 22 under FS/DED preparation. (Elvy S. Taquio, DA-PRDP CARPCO InfoACE Unit)