DA-PRDP Deputy Program Director Arnel de Mesa updates the participants of the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit’s Midyear Assessment of the program’s developments within the Program this year. The assessment was held on June 17-19, 2014 at the Subic Bay Venezia Hotel. Representatives from different clusters, regions, and National Coordination Office components and units attended the event. (Photo by: Catherine Nanta) M&E Unit holds midyear assessment
Date Published: June 26, 2014
June 26, 2014
Subic, Zambales–To track the development of Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Philippine Rural Development Program’s (PRDP) implementation, the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Unit of the PRDP National Program Coordination Office (NPCO) held its mid-year assessment at the Subic Bay Venezia Hotel from June17-19, 2014.
M&E Unit Head Adamar Estrada said that there is a need to institutionalize periodic review and assessment of the program implementation to gauge progress and determine adjustments needed to steer performance towards desired results.
Moreover, she reported that the number of proponents or Local Government Units availing of sub-project financing under the PRDP is fast growing, thus, continuous assessment and regular meetings are necessary.
“This assessment session is an opportunity for us to learn how program operations would be improved before officially opening PRDP nationwide this year. We will discuss factors affecting the implementation of the program and identify decisions and actions needed for more efficient operations in the next half of 2014,” added Estrada.
During the event, PRDP Deputy Program Director Arnel de Mesa reported the status of the Local and National Planning (I-PLAN), Infrastructure Development (I-BUILD), and Enterprise Development (I-REAP) components in the preparation of sub-projects.
He cited several projects for value-adding of agri-based enterprises which kicked-off under the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) and will be continued under the PRDP, including the Upgrading of Cassava Post Harvest Facilities in South Cotabato, Crumb Rubber Processing Facility in Agusan del Sur, and Drying Facility for Food Grade Banana Flour in Davao del Norte.
“Aside from generating jobs in the community, the said projects were also able to generate increase in income of participating farmers and fishers, which is DA-PRDP’s ultimate goal,” de Mesa added.
He also reminded the group that the deadline for issuance of No Objection Letter 1 (NOL1) from the World Bank is on August 31 this year.
“While we have specific allocations per cluster, per region, the NPCO will accommodate those who will submit first before the said deadline because we have to obligate our budget for this year,” de Mesa said.
He added that those who will not be able to comply before the deadline will be accommodated next year.
Each Program Support Office (PSO) also presented developments and issues in their respective clusters.
M&E Unit Alternate Unit Head Jourvin Barrera consolidated all reports from the regions based on the components.
At least 20 Provincial Commodity Investment Plans (PCIP) have been formulated based on Regional Value Chain Analyses (VCA). Seven of these PCIPS with eight Global Environment Facility sites have incorporated biodiversity conservation and coastal resources co-management features, based on the report of Mr. Barrera.
He also announced that as of date the I-BUILD and I-REAP components have utilized P4.31billion and P981.98 million respectively to finance sub-projects to be approved and issued with NOL2 during the year. (Cath Nanta, InfoACE NPCO)
