To keep track of enterprise development (I-REAP) subprojects’ operations in terms of production, marketing and market linkages, financial status, and proponent group management, the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development (DA-PRDP) in Bicol conducted a series of enterprise monitoring activities to 16 I-REAP subprojects in Albay and Sorsogon on April 7 to 8, 2021. This was undertaken by the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Unit and I-REAP component staff, together with their counterparts in the Provincial Project Management and Implementation Unit (PPMIU).

According to DA-PRDP M&E Officer Rhodelia Remot, the semi-annual enterprise monitoring activity is also designed to collect, process, and analyze the I-REAP subprojects’ progress in achieving their objectives and targeted outcomes, identify factors affecting enterprise operations, and develop transparency and accountability among project implementers in the delivery of planned outputs and results as stipulated in the business plan.  

In Albay, the DA-PRDP team monitored the Albay Coco Geonets Manufacturing Enterprise being implemented by the Tunay Tapat Lahing Pilipino Cooperative in Libon; the Enhancing Farm Capacity and Adoption of Nutrition Technology for Goat Production run by the Albay Small Ruminant Raisers Association (ASRRA); and the Sweet Potato-based Products Processing Enterprise being managed by the Camote Creations Farmers and Entrepreneurs Producers Cooperative in Daraga.

Meanwhile, among the I-REAP subprojects that the team monitored in Sorsogon were the Tomalaytay Seaweeds Production and Marketing by the Samahang Mangingisda ng Tomalaytay and the Cogon Seaweeds Production and Marketing by the Cogon Fisherfolk Organization in Castilla; the Carayat Seaweeds Production and Marketing by the Carayat Seaweed Farmers Association in Prieto Diaz; the Cagang RIC Native Chicken Production and Marketing by the Rural Improvement Club of Cagang in Barcelona; the Sorsogon Pili Enterprise led by the Gubat Saint Anthony Cooperative (GSAC) in Gubat; the San Francisco Gabi and Ginger Production and Marketing by the Rural Improvement Club of San Francisco in Bulusan; the Establishment of Cassava Chip Processing Enterprise for Small Producers of San Bernardo by the Association of Mushroom Growers in San Bernardo (AMAG) in Bulusan; and the Sorsogon Abaca Fiber Processing and Trading (Sorsogon Almacen) Enterprise by the St. Anne Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative (SAFSMPC) in Irosin.  

DA-PRDP-Bicol Project Development Associate Angelica Peñano said that the I-REAP team will be preparing the Monthly Monitoring Report based on the recent enterprise monitoring activity to provide feedback on the I-REAP enterprise’s status of operations. 

“Ang advantages kapag nakaka-visit tayo sa kanila mismo is that we can understand them better tapos nagkakaroon tayo ng deeper understanding ng situation ng bawat proponent group na usually hindi nai-include sa mga reports na isusubmit lang sa atin. Pag may first-hand information ka, that’s different. May mga issues na hindi nadi-discuss but malalaman mo through simple communication,” Peñano said.  

Initial results of the I-REAP enterprise monitoring activity show that the three subprojects in Albay are fully operational while two out of 13 I-REAP subprojects in Sorsogon have no operations. 

The enterprise monitoring activity also covers the I-REAP subprojects’ compliance to the Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) in terms of enterprise office requirements, social inclusiveness, and equitable benefit-sharing and grievance redress mechanism (GRM), and occupational safety and health. 

“Part ito ng sustainability ng project. While we are attaining the economic aspect, dapat hindi din natin nane-neglect ang social and environmental aspect – maganda pa rin na may check and balance. Sinisafeguard natin both ‘yung membership nila and ‘yung enterprise nila,” DA-PRDP-Bicol SES Officer Teresita Blanqueza said. 

The DA-PRDP-Bicol enterprise monitoring team complied with existing provincial health protocols and guidelines set by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) while conducting the activity. The team generated feedback reports including action plans, proposed solutions, and recommendations for review and approval by the DA-PRDP Management, and compliance and implementation by the concerned stakeholders. 

The DA-PRDP’s Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation (RBME) being implemented within the Project’s organizational structure is a system under the Project Implementation Support (I-SUPPORT) program management component. It is divided into two sub-systems, namely Progress M&E and Results M&E aimed at providing both the implementers and stakeholders with relevant feedback to serve as bases for decision-making and directing subprojects’ implementation. ### (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA RAFIS V/PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)

PRDP-Bicol M&E Officer Rhodelia Remot and I-REAP Project Development Associate Angelica Peñano get updates about the Sorsogon Abaca Fiber Processing and Trading (Sorsogon Almacen) Enterprise from St. Anne Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative (SAFSMPC) General Manager Veronica Azurin in Irosin, Sorsogon during the enterprise monitoring on April 8, 2021.

PRDP-Bicol Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Rhodelia Remot checks some of the Sweet Potato-based Products Processing Enterprise’s products during the enterprise monitoring on April 7, 2021.

Albay Small Ruminant Raisers Association (ASRRA) member Jehu Oxciano provides updates about the Enhancing Farm Capacity and Adoption of Nutrition Technology for Goat Production in his farm in Guinobatan, Albay to the PRDP-Bicol and Provincial Project Management Implementation Unit (PPMIU)-Albay enterprise monitoring team on April 7, 2021.

PRDP-Bicol Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Rhodelia Remot (2nd from right) and the I-REAP team conduct enterprise monitoring of the Albay Coco Geonets Manufacturing Enterprise in Libon, Albay represented by Tunay Tapat Lahing Pilipino Cooperative Operations Manager Jerom Pedrocillo on April 7, 2021.