The Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) is now gaining broad-based support in mobilizing various sectors for the advancement of rural development.
“One of the major successes achieved by the program at this point is in bringing together various agencies from the national down to local government units to work together to bring in development in Mindanao’s countryside,” said World Bank (WB) senior operations officer Felizardo Virtucio, Jr..
Speaking during the recent kick-off meeting of the MRDP mid-term evaluation in Manila, Virtucio said, the program has also been instrumental in pushing for reforms to meet its development objectives.
MRDP as a long-term poverty alleviation program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) aims to increase household incomes in covered communities and at the same time improve the decentralization of the delivery of basic agricultural services.
Virtucio along with the Bank’s team of consultants noted that the program has established a number of modalities which were well appreciated by implementers such as the formulation of barangay development plans which promoted participation and transparency in identification of community needs
“The program has also espoused the use of harmonized procurement guidelines which are now being used by the LGUs in implementing rural infrastructure projects which have significantly contributed to transparency, fairness, economy, efficiency, and accountability,” Virtucio said.
DA Secretary Proceso Alcala for his part said the impact of the program on the lives of farmers and fishers in Mindanao is slowly being felt.
“Halos kada linggo ay nasa Mindanao po ako at sa aking pakikipag-usap sa mga local chief executives [LCEs] ay nararamdaman ko po ang init ng mga LGUs [local government units] sa pagtanggap sa ating programa. (I am in Mindanao almost every week and in my dialogues with local chief executives, I could feel the warmth of the LGUs reception of our program).
Earlier this year, Sec. Alcala convened a hundred LCEs in Mindanao consisting of legislators, governors, and mayors and discussed mechanisms that would fast-track the implementation of rural infrastructure and livelihood under MRDP.
In the meeting, Alcala committed his office to shoulder at least 40 percent of the equity share of the LGUs. Providing equity share for its proposed projects is one of the major implementation bottlenecks according to LCEs.
DA Undersecretary Joel Rudinas added that through broad-based participatory approach, MRDP has allowed the Department the opportunity to work closely with the LGUs.
“Instead of DA solely handling investments for agricultural development, the program has engage the LGUs to put their stake on building much needed rural infrastructure and in providing livelihood to increase farmers’ incomes,” Rudinas said.
“MRDP has helped not only in stretching our meager resources but also in showing us that working with LGUs can be productive,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mayor Joel Ray Lopez of St. Cruz, Davao del Sur in an interview said the MRDP implementation is one of the best partnerships their municipal government has entered into with national government and foreign donors.
“We have implemented rural infrastructure particularly farm-to-market roads that are now helping farmers cut down transport cost. Livelihood projects were also provided to augment farmers’ income,” Lopez said.
Mayor Rosabelle Abelita-Nana of San Isidro, Davao del Norte added that MRDP has also mobilize her constituents particularly the people’s organizations to be more cooperative as well as open new technologies to boost farm production.
“Aside from financial assistance, the program has also provided capability building which has enhance our municipal staff in implementing development projects,” Abelita-Nana said. [Noel T. Provido/DA-MRDP]
