Beyond the usual inspection of problematic projects, the Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) visited project sites that have been recognized for good and on-schedule performance in 2019. NEDA-CAR Chief of project monitoring and evaluation, Carmel Matabang, said that the inspection of the various community-based agency projects showcased the active involvement of the community, particularly the women, in fast-tracking the implementation of projects. She added that the engagement of local contractors made a positive difference in implementation as there is an added sense of responsibility when the community knows the contractors. This also addressed project issues early on.
The committee cited the DSWD-led KALAHI-CIDSS (Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services) projects in Asipulo and Hungduan, Ifugao, and the Department of Agriculture-led CHARMP-2 (Second Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resource Management Project) projects in Tadian and Bauko, Mountain Province.
The Asipulo and Hungduan farm-to-market road projects were noted for local community participation in the procurement process, the actual implementation and monitoring of the projects. The Tadian and Bauko farm-to-market road projects exemplified the importance of a community participatory approach to project identification and planning and up to implementation and monitoring. The locals also noted the leadership of their local chief executives in helping successfully implement their community’s vision. The RPMC emphasized that community participation confirms the Cordilleran sense of self-governance in their ancestral domains.
NEDA-CAR Regional Director and RPMC Chair Milagros Rimando said that it is good to also visit outstanding projects and not just visit problematic projects to learn about what they are doing right and the factors contributing to the successful implementation of the
The RPMC is guided by the Regional Project Monitoring and Evaluation System (RPMES) which alerts the committee on problematic projects ranging from critical to terminal cases. The committee provides site inspections, problem-solving sessions, and validation for government projects. Among the major projects inspected were the Ifugao General Hospital construction, the RDC-initiated Chico River Pump Irrigation Project, the Kennon road rehabilitation sites, and the Apayao DTI-DPWH & DOT-DPWH Convergence roads projects.
In total, the RPMC inspected 31 projects, 10 of which were subjected to problem-solving sessions, 12 were for observing learning best practices and 9 for validation.
By NEDA-CAR