Foreign-funded projects under tight watch – DAR
ALL basic infrastructures implemented and constructed under foreign-assisted projects are being closely watched to ensure that they are working well and that the concerned local government units (LGUs) are doing their part to maintain them.
This was the assurance made by Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Conrado Estrella III, saying that monitoring the projects is very important to sustain the gains derived from them and keep the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) inspired in harnessing their respective farms and maximizing their earning potentials.
Estrella, however, reminded the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) field implementers to be mindful of the projects that had been completed and turned over to concerned LGUs, which are obligated to provide funds for their continued operations and maintenance.
“The level of productivity of our ARBs is determined by how well our basic rural infrastructures are working. If they are in perfect condition, our ARBs are also in perfect condition to work harder and produce more farm goods,” Estrella said.
Each foreign-assisted project is normally implemented under a financial grant, which may be reverted into a loan should the concerned LGU become remiss of its obligation to provide funds for maintenance and ensure its continued operations. Failure to do so would lead to the grant being reverted into a loan to be paid for by the erring LGU.
Meanwhile, Atty. Milagros Isabel Cristobal, DAR Undersecretary for Support Services, advised all regional and provincial DAR offices to conduct periodic sustainability monitoring and evaluation (SME) to ensure that any wear and tear as a result of weather, organic growth, traffic wear, damage and vandalism are immediately patched up, and the projects are well-maintained.
The SME, Cristobal said, also aims “to monitor the compliance of the concerned LGUs of providing operations and maintenance funds after the 10-year reglementary period after turning over the said projects based on the sub-project agreements they have previously signed.”
“The only thing we want to happen is to keep the foreign-assisted projects in good condition, if not restore them to their previous condition and prevent them from being completely destroyed due to the weather or deliberate vandalism,” Cristobal added.
