To present and review the Project’s performance in terms of physical and financial accomplishments, the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) Regional Project Coordination Office – CAR (RPCO-CAR) concluded CY 2017 with a project assessment and planning workshop for CY 2018.

Held on January 31 to February 1, the event gathered the Provincial and Municipal Project Management and Implementing Units (P/MPMIUs) from the different provinces and municipalities who are direct implementers of PRDP funded subprojects. Consultants from the RPCO-CAR and Project Support Office (PSO) Luzon – A Cluster were also present.

As RPCO-CAR Deputy Project Director Danilo P. Daguio welcomed the participants, he emphasized the importance of being updated on policy changes to be able to accomplish targets and meet set timelines.

“It takes more than a year for a project to be completed. The challenge is not how big the amount of the project is, but on the completion of the project as scheduled,” reiterated Daguio. He also challenged the LGUs to be ready in complying with the requirements of the new budget reform program that will be fully implemented this 2019 and relay the new policy directives to their local chief executives.

To inform the participants on the updates of PRDP implementation in the national and cluster level, PSO Luzon – A Deputy Project Director Elma S. Mananes presented the overall findings during the midterm review mission, project reach at midterm, initial achievement of project development objectives, and the updates and timelines per component.

She challenged the participants to take note of the timelines to be able to meet the target and implement projects as programmed.

On the new policy directives

Aside from the assessment of accomplishments, new policy directives and guidelines in the implementation of the PRDP were introduced. This includes the Budget Reform Program, the Prioritization Schemes for PRDP expansion, and updates on the guidelines of I-BUILD (Infrastructure Development) and I-REAP (Enterprise Development) subproject implementation.

Under the Budget Reform Program, RPCO-CAR Budget Unit Head Edna Cabaoig explained that the current system will be shifting to Annual Cash Appropriation wherein there will be no more multi-year obligation but one year obligations supported by one year cash appropriations. The Program aims to redesign the budgetary process towards the efficient, accountable, and transparent use of public funds to ensure the immediate and substantial public service delivery.

With the approval of the P1.8 billion worth additional financing for PRDP, subprojects will be prioritized based on technical and economic viability and other related socio-economic indicators. First-time LGU in PRDP with no approved I-BUILD subproject, or with approved I-REAP subproject but no I-BUILD subproject, and those with no prior involvement in PRDP at all are automatically prioritized. LGUs and FMR subprojects will be prioritized thru a weighted scoring system based on LGU performance, economic and social impacts as well as technical conditions.

All proposals falling under the automatic priority category and those ranked based on the prioritization criteria will still be subject to further review.

In relation to the new Budget Reform Program, I-BUILD Component Head Engr. Gaston B. Cael discussed the request for PRDP Multi-year Obligation Authority (MYOA) wherein the yearly requirement of a certain project will only be appropriated instead of the total cost of the project. The target disbursement will be based on the subproject duration and S-curve as submitted.

Meanwhile, the RPCO-CAR component and unit heads together with the consultants/ staff addressed issues and answered queries regarding the implementation of PRDP subprojects and gathered commitments from the P/MPMIUs.

Benguet Governor Crescencio C. Pacalso, on the other hand, extended his gratitude to all levels from the national to the local government who have committed themselves for the development of the region. “This is a work in progress. We should do the best we can to comply with the requirements and help each other to be able to meet our timelines the soonest,” he said.

Looking forward for a smooth sailing working relationship, Engr. Cael in his closing message, expressed his gratitude to all local government units who participated in the activity and for continuously giving support to the Project.### (ELVY S. TAQUIO, RPCO-CAR INFOACE UNIT)