Locals of Barangay Punong Grande actively joined the citizen monitoring training (CMT) conducted by Monitoring and Evaluation Unit of Department of Agriculture Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP).

With the ongoing concreting of 9.76 kilometers Sitio Pedregoza farm-to-market road in Banga, South Cotabato, barangays officials, youth, and members of the community were invited to become part of the monitoring training.

“I learned about our obligation as participants of this training. Monitoring has a big role here because it informs the community to look after to this project. I will suggest to our barangay, through the Kagawad, that we will create ordinances that will help in implementing projects especially on infrastructure project,” said Clarito Silagan, president of farmer association in Brgy. Punong Grande.

PRDP’s road and bridge specialist Engr. Maria Fe P. Gabunales giving a training on how to use the monitoring instrument to the participants from five (5) barangays included in the FMR project. (Photo by Gian Enrique)

CMT aims to capacitate participants in their respective roles in rolling out the Citizen Monitoring activities. This will also insure the greater transparency of the project implementation in the area.

“CMT is really a big help so we will know how to monitor and for us to ensure the good implementation of project by the contractor. We learn a lot in this training like proper placement of culvert, compacting and cement pouring on the road,” said Brgy. Kagawad Henry Puig.

Through the growing efforts of the Department of Agriculture, the Citizen Monitoring Training was introduced to PRDP. By involving the community members, they get a sense of accountability and also ownership over the infrastructure project.

Training activities include overview of the Citizen Monitoring Framework; run through of the monitoring instrument; briefing on the application of the geo-tagging for ongoing subproject; and field testing of the citizen monitoring instrument.

“I saw it as very useful especially for us residents here since I’m also a SK Chairman. I will share my knowledge to the kagawad and Katipunan ng Kabataan since helping in the monitoring is not just for adult. I know that this project is for us. If ever it will be damaged or not reach the expected result, it is us who will suffer, so we have to help,” said SK Chairman Princess Bline Segurada. (Joy M. Montecalvo, PSO Mindanao)

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