Contents

1. Background
2. PDAC Objectives
3. Guiding Principles
4. Scope Of The PDAC
5. Functions Of The PDAC
6. Coverage
7. Clients
8. Guidelines And Procedures In Assigning NRO/RDC Staff
9. Availability Of Feasibility Study Fund
10. Training Needs Of NRO/RDC Staff
11. Conflict Of Interests

BACKGROUND

With the implementation of the Local Government Code, which is a landmark legislation on the decentralization policy for self-reliant and more empowered Local Government Units, the Regional Development Council, Region 10 (RDC-10) responded by way of strengthening its technical assistance program.

Within the NRO structure itself, a Special Order was issued in the early 1990's to organize sub-regional teams composed of an inter-division staff and headed by a Division Chief. Four sub-regional teams were created to correspond to the four sub-regions of the former Region 10. These sub-regions were:

1. Macajalar Bay Sub-Region (composed of the provinces of Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental and the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog)
2. Agusan River Sub-Region (composed of the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur with the city of Butuan)
3. Surigao Sub-Region (composed of the province of Surigao del Norte and the city of Surigao)
4. Panguil Bay Sub-Region (composed of the province of Misamis Occidental and the cities of Ozamiz, Oroquieta and Tangub)
   

The RDC further recognized that there was a need to expand the technical assistance program not only within the NRO but also with the Regional Line agencies (RLAs). Thus, it issued a resolution instructing other RLAs to create sub-regional desks that can respond to the needs of the LGUs. The NRO/RDC secretariat therefore invited the participation of other agencies when so requested by the LGUs.

The technical assistance program addressed to the LGUs by the RDC through sub-regional teams gained successes in the six years that it has been operating. Programs and projects that were elevated to the ICC for ODA consideration were:

1. LOCALLY-FUNDED PROJECTS
1. Bukidnon Integrated Area Development Project (BIADP). This LGU -initiated project is the first local project and ventured into accessing loans from ODA.
2. Lake Mainit Integrated Area Development Project (LMIADP). This is an inter-provincial project that is now being deliberated by ICC and transferred to NEDA-Caraga Region.
3. The Spanish Assistance Integrated Livelihood Project, Phase I (SAIL-I). The Project Identification and Conceptualization of this LGU project was greatly facilitated by the NRO/RDC Secretariat. SAIL II is now being firmed-up for the province of Camiguin.
4. The Telephone Modernization and Expansion Project of the province of Misamis Oriental, Phase I and II. This is another project assisted and facilitated till approval and funding from ODA sources.

The Feasibility Fund made available by the PFC greatly helped the LGU/RLAs in the development of existing project ideas to feasibility studies/proposals.

The technical assistance program was not only limited to LGUs. A similar track was also undertaken encouraging the RLAs to identify region-wide/inter-regional wide/inter-provincial wide projects that will operationalize the Vision of Northern Mindanao. With the pro-active stance of the said program, the RDC was able to push for the approval of the following RLA-initiated projects for ODA consideration.

2. REGIONALLY-INITIATED PROJECTS
1. Metro-Cagayan Special Development Project (MCSDP). The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) took the lead in pushing for this project. It was later renamed the Cagayan de Oro-Iligan Corridor (CIC).
2. The Laguindingan International Airport. This is a flagship Project of the CIC that was initiated by the CIC Secretariat, with the assistance and support of the NRO/RDC Secretariat.
3. The Water and Sanitation Project for Northern Mindanao. This was recently considered as a pipeline project in the AusAID Country Program. This is an RDC-initiated project that was identified in support of the Social Reform Agenda of the Region.

The experiences along the provision of the technical assistance program by the NRO/RDC Secretariat gave the staff the learnings and the insights on how to increase the level of preparedness of programs/projects listed in the development plan and the investment programs. NRO-10 has developed a core senior staff who learned the painful process of ferrying an LGU/RLA project for ICC approval and even ODA fund accessing. (Example: The Telephone Modernization and Expansion Project of Misamis Oriental and the BIADP of Bukidnon).

Part of its in-house staff development program, was the conduct of an NRO-initiated training program for senior staff led by the Co-Chairman of the RDC himself (now the NPC President Guido Alfredo A. Delgado) on the ODA Fund Sources. This training was held in Manila and handled by the PIS staff. This was made possible with funding source from the TRDC in the mid-1990s. From that training, several re-echo trainings to include ICC guidelines and procedures were conducted for LGUs and RLAs in the region.

Given the kind of strategic partnership among the LGUs/RLAs, correspondingly, these LGUs/RLAs also developed their own competence in Project Identification, Preparation, Evaluation and Fund Accessing. Several provinces and cities can now develop their own projects with less assistance from the NRO/RDC Secretariat (Examples: Province of Bukidnon and the City of Surigao).

THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE CENTER (PDAC)

In 1995, the NEDA Central Office gave instructions to all NROs that the latter should now be pro-active in project identification and development through the concept of the Project Development Assistance Center (PDAC).

The PDAC as operationalized in Northern Mindanao is presented given the wide experiences of the NRO/RDC Secretariat in the delivery of its Technical Assistance Program.

PDAC OBJECTIVES

The Center will enhance the capabilities on certain phases of the project development cycle for LGUs and RLAs. Its ultimate objective is to increase the level of preparedness of programs and projects for technical and capital assistance from local and ODA sources.

GUIDING PRINCIPLE

The Center will provide capability-building and enabling strategies to proponent LGUs and RLAs, which already have identified programs/projects, based on existing regional/local plans. It will not prepare feasibility nor project studies for the proponents.

The guiding principle of enhancing and institutional strengthening among the concerned stakeholders is supportive of the decentralization and sustainability factors since the PDAC is expected to be institutionalized within the existing Technical Assistance Program of the NRO/RDC Secretariat and the RLAs themselves.

SCOPE OF THE PDAC

The PDAC will be distinct from NRO/RDC Technical Assistance Program by focussing only in certain phases of the project development cycle. The PDAC's scope will include:

1. Project Identification
2. Project Preparation
3. Project Evaluation
4. ODA Resource Accessing

As earlier mentioned, the Center will only assist LGUs and RLAs in increasing the level of preparedness of their programs and projects for ODA assistance, with preference to those needing ICC evaluation and approval.

FUNCTIONS OF THE PDAC

Given the scope, the following are the specific functions/services of the PDAC:

• Project Identification
1. The PDAC will assist the proponent in the prioritization of program/project based on criteria. The knowledge of NRO/RDC Secretariat on current ODA priorities will be very helpful to the proponents.
• Project Preparation
1. CONTRACTING OF CONSULTANTS BY LGUs and RLAs
1. The PDAC will assist the proponent in the preparation of the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the proposed project.
2. The PDAC may assist the proponent in the conduct of hands-on training on procuring consultancy services.
3. The PDAC may assist the proponent in the evaluation of consultant's reports (Example: Inception Reports) This will be on a need basis.
2. IN-HOUSE PROJECT PREPARATION
1. The PDAC will assist the proponent in the preparation of the Project Proposal and Terms of Reference (TOR) which will serve as basis for the physical and financial plans.
2. The PDAC may conduct training on Project Preparation cum practicum, subject to funding by the proponents. The PDAC will make available the technical expertise required in the preparation of project proposals/ feasibility studies.
3. The PDAC will provide follow-through activities to assess the status of the preparation of the studies.
4. The PDAC will make available to proponents existing information on availability of funds for the preparation of Feasibility Studies/Proposals, if the proponents themselves cannot fully fund said proposals.
3. Project Evaluation for ICC Purpose
1. The PDAC will provide on-the-job-training on project evaluation particularly tips on handling Project Evaluation Reports (PERs) for ICC evaluation.
2. The PDAC may provide orientation on the Guidelines and Procedures on ODA sources, on the need basis.

COVERAGE

Geographically, the PDAC will serve the provinces, cities and municipalities with priority along:

1. 5th and 6th class municipalities
2. Resource-based areas (cluster of LGUs in watershed areas, coastal areas, etc.)

Regionally identified/initiated projects will also be served by the PDAC.

CLIENTS

Priority will be given to LGUs and RLAs.

GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES IN ASSIGNING NRO/RDC STAFF

1. The existing Technical Area Teams (TATs) will take the lead in the assistance of proponents in the project identification phase in their respective local assignments.
2. The Teams will also take the lead in the assistance of proponents for projects that will be contracted out to consultants (preparation of the TOR).
3. The NRO Management will identify an inter-division team, which will assist proponents doing in-house project preparation activities. The same team will also assist the proponent in providing tips for ICC evaluation.
4. Depending on the extent of the PDAC's technical assistance in the project preparation phase, top management will determine the personnel who will be assigned to finally evaluate the project for RDC endorsement and ultimately ICC endorsement.
5. The PDAC will be under the supervision and management of the Office of the Regional Director, considering the inter-division nature of technical assistance.

AVAILABILITY OF FEASIBILITY STUDY FUND

Region 10 experience showed that the availability of a Feasibility Study Fund is critical in ensuring that the PDAC will be able to achieve its objective of increasing the level of preparedness of projects for ICC approval. Thus, the following suggestions are also being explored:

1. The proponent LGUs/RLAs include in their regular budgets funds and appropriations for conduct of feasibility studies.
2. The NEDA Central Office is to provide access to existing Feasibility Study Fund under the ODA Technical Assistance for NROs.
3. The NROs to link with existing ODA projects with Technical Assistance for Project Development Activities. The LGSP of CIDA can be a window for this effort.

TRAINING NEEDS OF NRO/RDC STAFF

Given the extent of functions/services of the PDAC, the following training needs identified are:

1. Terms of Reference (TOR) Preparation
2. Preparation of Memorandum of Agreements/Contracts
3. Contracting of Consultancy Services
4. Technical Writing
5. Project Development/Feasibility Study Preparation
6. Project Evaluation and Appraisal
7. ICC Guidelines and Procedures, as well as hands-on application/observation of ICC deliberation
8. ODA sources
9. BOT and other Funding Schemes

CONFLICT OF INTERESTS

While the Director General encourages Staff to do consultancy services, the NRO staff involved in the actual preparation of project studies in his/her private capacity as a consultant, should inhibit him/herself in the evaluation of such studies for RDC/ICC approval.

Furthermore, said staff should be on approved leave status while doing consultancy services to ensure that there will be no conflict of interests.

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