The Regional Operation and Maintenance Audit Team (ROMAT) is foreseen to be in placed in Region 10 after the 4-day Operation and Maintenance Audit System (OMAS) training has been conducted to the expected members on July 9-12, 2019 in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental.

Engr. Ericson T. Mammag, PRDP-NPCO Alternate Head for I-BUILD component congratulated the participants for learning from the training even though they are not engineers by profession. He was impressed that Region 10 has mainstreamed the PRDP function into the regular activities of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Mammag further emphasized the importance of ROMAT saying that the audit findings and recommendations of the team will draw support from the LGU by using their Operation and Maintenance (O&M) funds in the maintenance of the turned over Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) and other infrastructure projects to the beneficiaries of the municipality.

The ROMAT is expected to be evaluating 16 I-BUILD subprojects in the region before December this year. This will involve monitoring the level of functionality of the subproject in general, physical status as to its condition such as the roadway, drainage system, road safety structures and systems, social and institutional status that includes LGU community organization, O&M fund, O&M plans and policies, and other support.

After evaluation of each subproject, an exit conference was conducted with the proponent group for them to know the status of the subproject and what to do to maintain its good condition. Likewise, a written report of the findings would be forwarded to the municipal mayor that would serve as basis in allocating funds for the O&M of the project.

The 4-day training was spearheaded by the DA-PRDP 10 Monitoring and Evaluation Unit with the participation of DA-10 Regional Agriculture Engineering Division, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division, Regulatory Division, Admin and Finance Division, Field Operations Division, and the PRDP team. #(Mary Grace B. Sta. Elena/RPCO10)