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NEDA XII Monitors KR2-PEP Funded Projects
July 7,
2009
The complementation of projects implemented under
the KR2-PEP was the central concern of the
monitoring visit conducted by NRO XII in the last
week of June up to 1st week of July. Projects
visited were the Small-Scale Community-based
Rehabilitation and Conservation Project for
Clustered Areas within the Vicinity of Ligawasan
Marsh in Cotabato Province on June 29-July 2, 2009;
Mangrove Rehabilitation in Kalanganan, Cotabato City
on July 6, 2009; and, Organic Bongulan Banana
Production and Marketing in Tupi, South Cotabato on
July 7, 2009. The visit assessed and evaluated
project implementation the project vis-a-viz its
time schedule. The monitoring visit consisted of
ocular inspection at the project area/site and a
meeting of project management team and project
implementers.
The visit also provided an opportunity for a
technical exchange with project implementers,
gaining information and addressing the bottlenecks
on project implementation.
 The
first project visited was the Small-Scale
Community-based Environmental Rehabilitation and
Conservation Project for Clustered Area within the
Vicinity of Ligawasan Marsh. The project is an
integrated intervention that will combine the
efforts to conserve and rehabilitate marshland
environment and to improve the productivity and
sustainability of the fisheries industry in the area
on which about 80% of the community people depend
for livelihood. It involves the establishment and
maintenance of forested land, fish sanctuaries and
riverbank stabilization/protection areas;
establishment and maintenance of nurseries; conduct
of technology transfer and skills trainings;
organizing and capability building of Pos; project
coordination and management, networking,
coordination and advocacy activities/meetings with
other stakeholders (MILF/MNLF, AFP, BDA, LIMMA, PDC,
etc.); and, monitoring and evaluation.
Overall assessment of actual project implementation
revealed that Small-Scale Community-based
Environmental Rehabilitation and Conservation
Project for Clustered Area within the Vicinity of
Ligawasan Marsh posted a 79.71 percent
accomplishment based on its weighted performance. A
total of 91, 165 seedlings were procured and
delivered on site, 120 hectares of land reforested,
6 hectares of fish sanctuaries rehabilitated and 38
kilometers of riverbank protection/stabilization
areas established and maintained and 13 nurseries
established. In support to project implementation,
capability building was pursued with 32 trainings
conducted on: nursery management, forest
establishment and management, Organizational
Development Management (ODM) and leadership
enhancement. A total of 12 People Organizations was
organized and 34 Project Management Team (PMT) and
Project Implementation Team (PIT) meetings
conducted.
The project started in June 2008 instead of January
2008 due to the delay in the release of project
funds resulting from delayed submission of
requirements by the proponents. Nonetheless, actual
implementation of the project remains to be on
schedule based on its revised work plan.
In terms of financial accomplishments, a total of
PhP 6,255,768.88 was already disbursed out of the
total project fund of PhP 8,510,054.20, representing
a 73.51% utilization rate as of 30 June 2009.
 Thereafter,
the monitoring team proceeded to have an ocular
visit of the Mangrove Rehabilitation Project in
Kalanganan, Cotabato City on July 6, 2009. The
project involves the procurement of mangrove
propagules, establishment and operation of a
mangrove nursery and planting, rehabilitation and
maintenance of mangrove plantation area.
The monitoring team assessed the project to be 96.49
percent accomplished based on its weighted
performance and, posted 90.74 percent utilization
rate of its KR2 funds of Php 2,743,280.00 as of June
30, 2009. Highlights of its accomplishment include
the organization of the Local Project Management
Team, conduct of a total of 22 barangay and other
stakeholders coordination/consultation meetings and
community organizing activities and
establishment/construction of nursery. A total of
25,000 mangrove propagules were planted and
maintained in the 10-hectare mangrove plantation
area established under the project. One possible
threat to the project is the accumulation of water
hyacinths in the area which may reduce the survival
of the mangrove propagules. However, protection
measures were implemented , 1.e. netting the
portions threatened by hyacinths accumulation. The
target date of completion of the project has been
revised to July 2009 from the original target of
April 2009.
The next KR2 project visited by the project
monitoring team that exhibited satisfactory
performance was the Organic Bongulan Banana
Production and Marketing Project in the Municipality
of Tupi, South Cotabato. The project consists of the
conduct of inter- related
sub-project activities along institutional and
organizational development , production enhancement
and quality standard and market development on
organic production. It involves the conduct of
trainings and capability building of Tupi Bongulan
Growers’ Association (TUBAGA) management and staff,
farmers and laborers on management and value
formation, implementation of input technology and
farming techniques on organic production and
capability enhancement on internal quality control
system. It entails the promotion and advocacy of
sustainable organic farming system, conduct of
internal and external inspections, and certification
of organic farming system by ECOCERT SA, a
certifying body approved by the Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF) of Japan
which regulates the production and labeling of
organic products in Japan through the Japanese
Agricultural Standards.
The project’s major components/activities which
contributed to its relatively high accomplishment
were on the production enhancement (posting a 133.5%
performance) and on the quality standard and market
development (recording a 106.99% performance). Both
internal and external inspections, including
evaluation of inspected areas covering 258.3
hectares for organic certification were also
conducted. The corresponding organic certifications
of Bongulan banana production by ECOCERT SA for EU,
US and Japan markets have likewise been approved and
issued for the 231.3 hectares out of the 258.3
hectares inspected. These certifications in return
have increased the farm gate price of TUBAGA’s
organic bongulan banana from $3.00 per box to $3.20
per box. In addition, TUBAGA took the initiative of
applying for an additional certification from the
Fair Trade Labeling Organization (FLO). Accordingly,
this certification would ensure international market
for organically grown products of small-scale
farmers. This fair-trade certification shall also
provide premium price for their products.
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