Butuan City – On October 29-31, 2018 the DILG Caraga successfully conducted the Training Implementation of Enhancing Local Government Unit Capacity on Planning & Implementation of Local Development Projects at the Laz Nieves Hall, Almont Inland Resort and Hotel. The three-day activity was participated by the BAC Chairpersons, Municipal Planning and Development Coordinators (MPDCs), Municipal Engineers and CSO Representatives from forty-five (45) local government units from the five provinces of Caraga Region.

In her opening message, DILG Caraga Regional Director Lilibeth A. Famacion, CESO III arduously acclaimed, “Twenty-seven (27) years after the passage of the Local Government Code, it has been observed that the local government units are still lacking with the necessary competency in the implementation and managing of the projects being given to them…through the tool developed by LGA which was administered to our LGUs  in an FGD, it is identified that most are still lacking in the necessary capacity in the areas of Project Identification and Development, Project Procurement and Contract Management, Project Implementation and Management, and Project Sustainability Planning…this is a unique training because we have tailor-fitted this according to the gaps identified through the tool…our resource speakers have been carefully selected to really address these gaps.”

The first day of the capacity development intervention banked on carefully selected modules about project identification and development. Technical Experts from DILG Caraga served as resources speakers to some modules. Engr. Mark Obani and LGCDD Assistant Chief Cherry N. Vitor gave a discussion on Tips on Project Identification and Gender Responsive Proposal.

 Moreover, Local Resource Institute partners from the Philippine University Mindanao, Prof, Cornelio L. Labao Jr., and Dr. Elvira V. Chua gave a detailed presentation on what is a project, and the project cycle and the logical framework. Supervising EDS Graziella C. Harting from NEDA Caraga closed-up the first day with a discussion on Project Development.

A detailed revisit on the 2016 Revised IRR of the R.A. 9184 otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act was conducted in the morning od the second day of the activity. Because of the many issues related to procurement, the participants were clustered in half so as to substantially address their concerns on the matter. Chief Budget and Management Officer Carlito P. Leyson from DBM Caraga served as the resource speaker for the participants from the provinces of Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte. While, Vice President for Admin and Finance Dr. Florife O. Urbiztondo from SDSSU served as the resource speaker for the participants from the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Surigao del Sur.

In the afternoon, with the participants brought back to one hall, a discourse on jurisprudence related to R.A. 9184 was given by no less than the presiding judge on MCTC Kitcharao-Jabonga Hon. Anthony P. Vitor. He closed up the topic on Project Procurement and Contract Management. After that, DMO Emily M. Gatillo from LGSF-AM and Engr. Jesreel B. Yañez from the Regional Project and Development Unit (RPDMU) gave a presentation on the results of the Project Monitoring Committee (PMC) Survey and the how-tos of organizing a functional Project Monitoring Team.

As a closing module for the day, City Director Charissa T. Guerta, CESO V from DILG-Butuan City introduced the concept of Peace Development Zone (PDZ) which is the anvil program of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC). 

On the third and last day of the training, CDO Ednon John E. Aparicio gave a short briefer on the salient features of the DILG MC 2018-89, “Guidelines on Engagements with Civil Society Organizations”. It is the latest issuance from the department requiring CSOs who wish to engage in the implementation of DILG PPAs to be duly accredited or certified. Engr. Jojo A. Serenado, team leader of RPDMU followed presenting the basics of Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation (RBME).

The highlight of the third day was the detailed presentation of Dr. Raquel M. Balanay from Caraga State University on Project Sustainability Planning and the alignment of Sustainable Development Goals. Dr. Balanay in striking statement expressed, “it is not enough that LGUs and even other project implementors to just be to devise a way to produce a project, they should see to it that the project is sustainable – that it will not be a dead investment rather one that truly benefits let alone a self-sustaining one.”

The activity was closed by DILG Caraga Assistant Regional Director Donald A. Seronay admonishing the participants to translate the lessons they learned into better, more effective and efficient implementation of the projects in their respective local government units.

By: Ednon John E. Aparicio (Community Development Officer)