Thursday, May 24, 2007 WB-funded program conducts survey for expansion in region
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The World Bank-funded Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) has launched a baseline survey for program's expansion areas in Region 12 or Southwestern Mindanao under its second phase of implementation.
Alex Tabada, MRDP consultant, said they launched the survey in a bid to assess the condition of the program's target and control areas and to generate baseline information based on its overall framework and performance indicators.
He said the region-wide survey is part of the ongoing preparations for the implementation of the MRDP's second phase (MRDP2), which is scheduled to begin by the second half of the year.
"Our findings will help determine the program's success and the extent of its interventions," Tabada said.
Based on the project appraisal report issued by the World Bank, it requires the availability of the baseline data by June 30, 2008.
The World Bank's board of directors earlier a loan package worth US$83.752 million for the implementation of MRDP2 in 225 municipalities of Mindanao's 27 provinces.
The program, which is part of a four-phase Adaptable Program Loan (APL), is aimed at improving livelihood opportunities and ensuring food security in the area.
It focuses on the implementation of better-targeted agricultural and fisheries–related rural development and biological diversity conservation programs and an improved institutional management and financial systems for the local government units.
All four provinces in the area would be covered by MRDP2. Southwestern Mindanao comprises South and North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani.
Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato, were among the pilot provinces covered by the program during its initial phase. MRDP2 will cover the 10 municipalities of South Cotabato and seven in Sarangani.
The first phase of MRDP, which was completed in December 2004, covered 32 towns in five provinces in Mindanao.
