As deemed necessary for Local Government Units (LGUs) to understand the implementation of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), the Regional Project Coordination Office – CAR (RPCO-CAR) commenceda reorientation series to re-elected and newly elected municipal and provincial officials of Benguet.

Led by newly elected Provincial Governor Cresencio C. Pacalso and Vice Governor Florence B. Tingbaoen, all involved partners from the municipal and provincial levels including the Sanguniang Bayan/Panlalawigan and also members of the Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU) joined and participated in the activity.

DA-CAR OIC-Regional Executive Director Lorenzo M. Caranguian, in his message, said that the activity is an avenue for strengthening partnership between the DA and the LGUs.

‘We hope large amounts of projects can be proposed to address the needs of our farmers and we need to have a common understanding about PRDP and its processes’, he added.

Aside from orienting the LGUs on PRDP, the activity also aimed to update them on the status of PRDP project implementation in the region and inform them on the roles and linkages of each project components/ units as well as their functions and responsibilities as implementers.

Moreover, the participants were also updated on the status of the Region’s performance in the Cluster level. According to Project Support Office (PSO) Cluster-A Deputy Project Director Elma C. Mananes, the Cordillera Region has the least number of subprojects in the Cluster yet accounts for the highest amount.

‘We did not ask for those subprojects with big amounts, but it’s the need of our farmers which pushed us to work for its approval’, she said.

Meanwhile, major issues concerning bidding requirements and procurement process were raised during the open forum which includes, among others, the possibility of splitting FMR subprojects to avoid failure of bidding and if a sudden change of amount proposed during the bid opening is allowed.

As such, Caranguian said that splitting of subprojects could be possible yet it will lead to a longer process due to the changes in the Economic Viability Indicators and the Road Influence Areas. It was also clarified that a subproject can be awarded to a lone bidder provided that specific eligibility documents required by the Harmonized World Bank Procurement Guidelines are complied.

On the other hand, modification of amount proposed during the bid opening is prohibited. Mananes further explained that a pre-bidding activity is being conducted prior to the bid opening to ensure that the bidders are eligible enough to participate in the bidding.

As direct implementers of subprojects under PRDP, the reorientation serves a starter for them to be guided on the processes, specifically from selecting a provincial winning commodity up to the ranking of subprojects to be implemented supporting the development of a certain commodity industry. Other provinces are also scheduled for a reorientation within August. (Elvy S. Taquio, RPCO-CAR InfoACE)