The North Luzon cluster hosts the third leg of the nationwide mission, following South Luzon and Visayas clusters. (Photos by Darrell Sunga and Alex Belgica, North Luzon InfoACE)

World Bank holds implementation support mission in North Luzon

Date Published: June 13, 2019

Five subprojects in the province of Pangasinan were visited and assessed by delegates from the World Bank led by Task Team Leader Frauke Jungbluth last June 6-8.

The visit is part of the 8th World Bank Implementation Support Mission that aims to evaluate the project’s progress towards achievement of the project development objectives, with North Luzon cluster hosting the third leg of the nationwide mission.

As the project is now on its fifth year, Jungbluth pointed out in her message the importance of the subprojects’ sustainability.

“Part of our objective always is to see how we can simplify procedures. We are in the stage of the project where two parts meet – the processing part and the sustainability part.”

“How sure are we that after all these planning and processing, things are maintained, continue to grow and give benefit?” she added.

The joint team of the World Bank, National Project Coordination Office (NPCO), Project Support Office (PSO), Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) and the Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU) of Pangasinan visited two enterprises and three infrastructures in the province – the Yellow Granex Production, Consolidation & Trading Enterprise in Alcala, Salad Tomato Production and Marketing in Alaminos, Rehabilitation of Gonzales-San Juan FMR in Umingan, Construction of Oraan Bridge with Approaches and Multi-purpose Drying Pavement, both in Manaoag.

The activity was also a venue to showcase North Luzon’s highlights of accomplishment for the past six months.

 

Growing portfolio

PSO Luzon A Deputy Project Director Elma Mananes reported during the plenary meeting that from 232 subprojects last November mission, PSO North Luzon has now generated a total of 234 I-BUILD subproject proposals across all 22 provinces in the cluster. These proposals amount to P15.84 billion which account to about 33% of the country’s total project cost (allocation) for rural infrastructures.

Meanwhile, North Luzon’s I-REAP portfolio continues to lead the nationwide implementation of enterprise subprojects with a total of 331 identified subprojects, or 52% of the country’s total SP proposals for I-REAP. These SPs amount to P844.76 million, or about 37% of the country’s enterprise funds under PRDP.

The cluster has now a total of 68 completed infrastructures that benefit 169,400 residents, and 191 completed enterprises that benefit 36,172 farmers.

 

P8.8 billion from PRDP, P4.6 billion non-PRDP

In support to the I-PLAN component’s aim of leveraging and maximizing investments, all Value Chain Analyses, except upland rice, were already translated to commodity investment plans.

In addition, the formulation and approval of all 22 Provincial Commodity Investment Plans resulted to identification of 145 I-BUILD subprojects amounting to 8.01 billion pesos, and 256 I-REAP subprojects amounting to 248 million pesos, all identified for PRDP funding.

Aside from PRDP, local government units and other line agencies have also adopted the use of the commodity investment plan in identifying projects.

Through the interventions cited in the PCIP, 594 non-PRDP funded subprojects have been identified amounting to 4.6 billion pesos.

Out of these, 252 subprojects were already completed, 173 subprojects are under ongoing implementation, 26 are under procurement and 143 are proposed for funding.

 

Good practices

Through strict implementation guidelines, project contractors have started to adopt PRDP’s tools and processes. Rigid standards and compliances set by the Project eventually result to strengthened capacitation, as attested by some contractors with notable subproject implementation in North Luzon.

Sherly Baby Balbino, manager of Royal Sea Bees Construction in Kalinga said that all processes they have picked up from the project were turned over and applied to other projects of the city and the province.

“I encourage young contractors to partake in World Bank projects for them to learn the things that we have learned from this project,” said Balbino.

Highlighting the importance of proper waste disposal, Engr. Manuel D. Calawen of the Omengan Construction Development Corporation said that PRDP imposes the proper use of dumping sites.

“Some contractors improperly dispose their waste materials and debris. With PRDP, we were instructed to dispose properly through dumping sites so the waste materials would be in the designated areas, and not just anywhere,” said the engineer.

A pre-wrap up meeting is set on June 19 to close the mission activity as well as to discuss the over-all findings of the Bank. (Kayla Arceo, North Luzon InfoACE)

 

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