To ensure smooth project implementation and promote social responsibility, the Project Support Office A (PSO) and the Regional Project Coordination Office 2 (RPCO2) equip the Citizen Monitoring Team (CMT) with the proper knowledge during the construction activities on the ongoing rehabilitation of the 12.42km San Juan – Barucboc – Estrada – Dummon Farm to Market Road (fmr) in Quezon, Isabela, September 7, 2022.

The two-day activity is glued to equip the citizens along the road influence area in their role in sub-project monitoring to ensure that it is implemented on time, in good quality, and at the least cost. The CMT’s task was to look into the quality assurance elements in concreting more than P139 916 440.24, a 12.42 km FMR traversing four barangays.

All village chiefs agree that CMT will be helpful for the project implementation. Wilbert Andres, Dummon Brgy. Chairman said that the training is an avenue to have the correct knowledge should a complaint or problem arise. “I learned that there will be a proper forum when a constituent has a grievance during the construction and till the project is turned over.”

San Juan Brgy. Captain Raymund Apolonio said he knows how to handle grievances from constituents, especially from the affected residents along the road influence area. “We will be asking for help from DA PRDP in the future should the same matter arise.”

Representatives of the Department of Agriculture Philippine Rural Development Project from PSO and RPCO2’s Social and Environment Safeguards (SES), IBuild Component, GeoMapping and Governance Unit (GGU), and Monitoring and Evaluation Unit (M&E) discussed different topics.

One of which is the monitoring tools consist of 5 parts: 1. Management Support System, 2) Contract Review Process, 3) Inspection and Testing Procedures, 4) Document Control Procedures, and 5) Operation and Maintenance Procedures and also part of the discussion was the Grievance Redress Mechanism where citizens may raise their grievance or appreciation about the project.

One vital tool in monitoring was the PRDP camera developed by the GGU, known to be the “eyes” of the World Bank that takes charge of posting geotagged photos of the actual physical status of the subproject that can be seen virtually at www.prdp.da.gov.ph. (RPCO2 InfoACE)