On the third week of the 14th Implementation Support Mission, the World Bank Team directed their focus tothe the current status of Project staff and the implementation of social and environmental safeguards on June 6, 2022.

National Project Coordination Office Admin Unit Head Junibert E. De Sagun presented the current PRDP staffing including the number of positions that are still to be opened for 2022 to address the increasing demand of manpower under the second additional financing and EU-co financing grant. They also discussed the current vaccination status among the PRDP staff, along with other administrative issues and concerns.

The highlights of the admin unit report covered the updating and finalization of the PRDP Administrative Guidelines issued with No Objection Letter by the World Bank as well as the enhanced roll-out of the output based Individual Performance Evaluation Profile- Accomplishment Report System (iPEP-ARS), and continuous provision of medical supplies (facemask, alcohol, disinfectant,etc.) to all PRDP staff.

From left: Supply and Property Officer Alex Bondesto, Admin Assistant Mary Rose Bachanicha, Admin Unit Head Jessica Dela Cerna, Admin Officer II Leila A. Ponteres, and Admin Assistant Advinculo Seraspe.

NPCO Deputy Project Director Shandy Hubilla thanked the entire admin unit for being the Project’s frontliner during the peak of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“I would like to thank our Admin Unit especially during the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic because they acted as our frontliner ensuring that all the health measures and protocols will be implemented in our offices keeping all our personnel safe,” said DPD Hubilla.

Meanwhile, NPCO Social and Environment Safeguards Unit Head Angelina Martir reported the overall updates and accomplishment for their unit.

Her report primarily focused on the unit’s continuous compliance to environmental safeguards such as Environmental Management Framework and Guidelines, Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Framework, Indigenous Peoples Policy Framework, Grievance Redress Mechanism, SES Compliance Monitoring, and enhancement of risk rating in safeguard compliance and monitoring checklist and roll-out of PRDP Safeguards Compliance Monitoring forms in the Kobo Toolbox.

From left: SES Officer Anacleto Hernando, SES Unit Head Arnel Areglado, and SES Officer Alfred Ian Basino

During the open forum, World Bank Co-Task Team Leader Maria Theresa G. Quiñones encouraged the components involved in the conduct of RAEB and OMAS to tap SES unit for those initial findings that needs the expertise of the unit.

“I hope that the team that conducts the RAEB and OMAS will proactively reach out to SES for some specific issues and concerns or red flags that needs the SES attention so they can do the follow up,” Quiñones said.

In response, PSO Mindanao SES Unit Head Arnel Areglado said that for the Mindanao cluster, the SES Unit is always involved in the conduct of RAEB where their focus is on checking the possible impacts of the completed subprojects not just to the environment but also to the community.

The 14th World Bank Implementation Support Mission will end on June 13, 2022.