The Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) Unit held a Construction Supervision Training with the SES focal persons and infrastructure development (I-BUILD) component representatives of partner local government units (LGUs) in the MIMAROPA Region.

The training was primarily aimed at discussing the importance of the safeguards aspects in the implementation of the PRDP’s infrastructure subprojects. It also highlighted the relationship that should exist between the SES unit and the I-BUILD component.

PRDP National Project Coordination Office SES Unit Head Angelita Martir said, “The primary objective is to give you a refresher about safeguard and give tools that may have not been shared with you before. We want to give a refresher on what we need to do during construction or during monitoring, especially for those who have subprojects that are just starting its implementation.”

Martir encouraged the training participants to share their experience, whether positive or negative, to gather additional insights in terms of their concerns on complying with the PRDP’s safeguard standards.

The training served as a venue for the participants and the PRDP team to address issues on social and environmental precautions. During the activity, the participants also shared their subproject accomplishments and best SES practices.

“For those who were able to attend this training, everything that we have learned here is a great help especially for us who might be assigned as SES focal persons. Through the presentations, we were able to gain information – the basic and important points about safeguard – that we can use as a guide in doing our job,” Haidie Mendoza from the Province of Palawan said.

During the third day of the activity, the participants conducted a site visit to the PRDP-funded Sta. Catalina Norte–San Isidro–Kinatihan II–Kinatihan I farm-to-market road subproject in Candelaria, Quezon. This is for the participants to apply what they have learned from the discussions about the aspects of construction supervision, which they will also use in preparing new proposals and reviewing subprojects.

“During the site visit, I was able to see the things needed in the implementation of subprojects especially on health and safety. We will also conduct pre-bid conference so it would be a good thing if we can already present what we learned here to possible bidders so they can be aware of the requirements of PRDP subprojects,” Rolando Josue of the Marinduque Environment and Natural Resources Office stated. ### (Leira Vic Colongon, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

NPCO Social Safeguards Specialist Bathsheba Aparilla spearheads the open forum where participants discuss their social and environmental safeguards concerns. (Photo by Leira Vic Colongon, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)