To reinforce the feedback mechanism of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) unit launched on July 27 an online feedback mechanism for local chief executives (LCEs) and focal persons of proponent local government units (LGUs).

“We would like to have the leaders, the local chief executives and the heads of the Provincial Project Management and Implementation Units (PPMIUs) become our partners in resolving matters that affect the subproject management.”

That was the statement of PRDP National Project Coordination Office M&E Unit Head Jourvin Barrera during the PRDP South Luzon Midyear Assessment and Planning Workshop on June 27–30 in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

He added that the Project would achieve that by ensuring that the implementers are informed of the subproject status and of various concerns that need to be addressed.

According to Barrera, the feedback mechanism is part of the PRDP’s promotion of transparency in implementing subprojects. He also said that the new online tool would enhance the existing M&E system of the Department of Agriculture as it also covers outcomes, results, and interventions in addition to inputs, process, and outputs. By engaging the implementers at the regional and cluster level, importance is now given to tracking outcomes and then having M&E transparent through the web-based M&E.

The online feedback mechanism with the LGUs will be institutionalized by transmitting information from the web-based M&E system to the electronic mail addresses of the LCEs and the PPMIU focal persons twice a month. A command was set on the web-based M&E system that every 15^th and 30^th of the month, at 8 a.m., information contained in the system will be transmitted to the subproject implementers in a summarized form.

“Making the governors or mayors informed about the progress, status, and issues and concerns, we eye to have them as our partners to address delay in the compliance of requirements,” Barrera added.

The PRDP National Project Director and Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations Ariel Cayanan has directed the Project Support Offices to request the LGUs to provide the M&E the email addresses of the LCEs and PPMIU focal persons. Once a governor ticks the message from the NPCO about the PRDP updates, the system will tag him or her as a person that accessed the feedback at a certain point in time. The system can also record who among them have accessed the online feedback mechanism. Like the typical e-mail, they may reply anytime.

“Ang PRDP ay isang napakagandang programa. Pero aaminin po namin talaga pong grabe, mabusisi ang pag-document, matrabaho ang pag-fulfill ng mga requirements ng proyekto kaya ’yong online feedback mechanism talagang makakatulong ’yan para direct and close ang coordination ng probinsya pati ang opisina ninyo. Kung may pagkukulang kami, mas madaling makakakuha ng feedback, kung may hihingiin kami, mas mabilis din, so maganda. Maraming salamat at may ganyang development (PRDP is a very good project. But we have to admit that it has very stringent documentary requirements. The online feedback mechanism is a big help for us to maintain close coordination with your office. We can easily seek feedback in case we have shortcomings and we can readily get assistance if we need help. It’s good. Thank you very much for this development),” Camarines Sur Governor Miguel Luis Villafuerte said.

Barrera mentioned that a feedback mechanism will also be installed for the secretary of the Department, project director, PSO directors, and Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) directors. This will provide them a snapshot of where they are vis-à-vis the prescribed timelines and the emerging issues that need to be addressed. ### (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)