The Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) 1 Members including Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Regional Dir. Homer Tobias (extreme right), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Representative Cezar Manuel Cabansag (second from right), Chairman and Department of Agriculture Regional Dir. Valentino Perdido (extreme left), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Representative Engr. Vilmaflor Gascon (second from left), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Dir. Florante Leal (third from left), and Regional Agri-Fishery Council Chairman Vincent Adorna (fourth from left) discussed the physical progress of the implementation of the Rehabilitation of Balecbec-Basca FMR with Rural Infrastructure Engr. Anthony Yanes. RPAB 1 gets Updates on PRDP Implementation in Ilocos Region
The Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) 1 conducted its 9th meeting to get updates on the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) implementation in Ilocos Region at the Oasis Country Resort Hotel on July 22, 2016.
Although there were no subprojects up for review, RPAB 1 Chair Dr. Valentino Perdido called the meeting to update the Board on the status of the infrastructure and enterprise subprojects they endorsed and approved.
At present, the Ilocos Region has five infrastructure subprojects issued with No Objection Letter 1 (NOL 1): the Rehabilitation of the Balecbec-Basca Farm to Market Road (FMR) and Belecbec Bridge in Naguilian and Aringay, La Union; the Rehabilitation of Tubigay-Baracbac-Nagcullooban FMR in Sinait Ilocos Sur; the Construction of Oraan Bridge with Approaches in Manaoag, Pangasinan; the Rehabilitation of the Billoca-San Juan FMR and Eight Bridges in Batac City and Sarrat, Ilocos Norte; and the Rehabilitation of the Nalasin-Sangadan-Langiden FMR in Paoay, Ilocos Norte.
Among these subprojects, the Rehabilitation of the Balecbec-Basca FMR is under implementation and is expected to be finished early next year. Meanwhile, the rest of the infrastructure subprojects issued with NOL 1 are under the procurement process. The rest of the infrastructure subprojects endorsed and approved by the RPAB 1 are complying with project requirements for the issuance of NOL 1.
The RPAB has also endorsed enterprise development subprojects under the PRDP. Currently, the enterprise subproject proposal of the Cabugao Mango Farmers Multi-Purpose Association, with the title Cabugao Mango Production and Marketing Enterprise, is awaiting the issuance of NOL 1 by the National Project Coordination Office (NPCO). Likewise, the RPAB 1 has endorsed 26 Small Livelihood Projects (SLPs) under the enterprise component. These are all waiting the clearance for requirements from the Luzon A Project Support Office (PSO) for the issuance of NOL 1.
During the meeting, each component also presented relevant updates and concerns to aid the RPAB 1 in evaluating subprojects in the future.
With this, the RPAB 1 is set to sign resolutions recommending that: the cost of subproject preparation by the proponent local government units (LGUs) be part of its counterpart in the subproject funding; there be a single review document for infrastructure and enterprise subprojects for ease of project review and evaluation; the accumulated cost of projects of the contractor for the past three (3) years be considered in bid evaluation; and, the proponent LGU’s project engineer, safety engineer and materials engineer should have undergone training.
As the number of subprojects under implementation in Ilocos Region is expected to increase in the coming months, the RPAB 1 agreed to call a quarterly meeting for regular updates on the subprojects’ progress. The next RPAB 1 meeting is tentatively set on the last week of September or first week of October, 2016. (Ilocos InfoACE)
