Monitoring history
 28 Feb. 2008

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We are pleased with the high level of public interest in government infrastructure projects, and their close monitoring of the implementation.

At the Pro-Performance Steering Committee (PSC), we have the government’s implementing agencies working closely with our monitoring partners – media, business, NGOs, the church, academe, youth – towards the seamless implementation of complex infrastructure projects. These major projects, when fully operational, will change the economic and social landscape in the countryside and in our major logistics hubs.

This level of interest should lead to a broader monitoring base, broad as it already is, to include every Juan dela Cruz with a phone camera and MMS.

Monitoring as presently structured goes back to EO 376 issued by President Corazon C. Aquino in 1989. At that time, it was known as the Regional Project Monitoring and Evaluation System (RPMES) whose objectives were primarily to expedite project implementation and devolve project facilitation, problem-solving, monitoring and evaluation to the regions and subregional levels, particularly to the provincial and municipal levels. NEDA or the National Economic Development Authority was at the core of this system, as the Secretariat of the Project Monitoring Committee.

More specifically, the RPMES was to provide up-to-date information on the overall status of project implementation for planning and budget allocation, to include employment generation of the various programs/projects expressed in man-days; identify problems/issues which impede project implementation for remedial actions at the regional and sub-regional levels and to elevate unresolved issues and problems at these levels to the Cabinet or the President for resolution and final action; integrate all monitoring activities in the region; assess and ascertain whether projects implemented are supportive of regional development goals and plans as well as national development thrusts and priorities; provide information on lessons learned in project implementation for planning and implementation of future similar project; provide a venue for greater participation of non-government organizations (NGOs) in the development planning process.

These objectives are carried through to the present monitoring system, with some significant enhancements.

The then RPMES, like the current PSC, monitored and evaluated all development projects (economic, social, infrastructure and other development projects) at the regional, provincial, city and municipal levels. These development projects were to be funded from national government and locally-generated resources.

Under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the monitoring system was restructured and reengineered under EO 564, even while project implementation was bolstered under EO 561, with the Formation of the Super Regions and the designation of the Superregional Development Champions.

In order to maintain focus on infra development, the country was divided into the following super regions: a) Northern Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (NLAQ), composed of Regions I, II, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the northern part of the provinces of Aurora (north of Baler), Tarlac (north of Tarlac City), Nueva Ecija (north of Cabanatuan City), and Zambales (north of Subic); b) Luzon Urban Beltway, composed of the National Capital Region (NCR), Region IV-A, the provinces of Bulacan, Bataan, Pampanga, Mindoro, Marinduque, and the southern parts of the provinces of Tarlac, Zambales, Aurora and Nueva Ecija; c) Central Philippines, composed of Regions V, VI, VII, and VIII, and the provinces of Romblon, Palawan, and Camiguin, and the Island of Siargao; d) Agribusiness Mindanao, composed of Regions IX, X except Camigiun, XI, XII, Caraga except Siargao, and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; and e) Cyber Corridor, which traverses the above super regions from Baguio to Cebu to Davao.

Under EO 561, the super regions have development themes: NLAQ for Agribusiness; the Luzon Urban Beltway for a Globally competitive industrial and service center; the Central Philippines for Tourism; Mindanao for Agribusiness; and the Cyber Corridor as the Information and communication technology and knowledge economy.

Each "super" region has a designated Development Champion whose mandate is to serve as catalyst for development and as prime advocate of the strategic development theme in his area. He ensures the implementation of the priority programs and projects identified in the 2006 State-of-the-Nation Address and the MTPIP, in close collaboration with the concerned local government units, national agencies and other partners in development, and undertake the necessary interventions to help ensure that these are completed on time and at a lowest cost to government. They also work out operational policies and remedial actions to ensure that the priority programs and projects are completed on schedule and at the lowest cost to government.

Anyone, and I mean everyone, who is genuinely concerned over cost and implementation of major or all government projects, we invite them to be our citizen monitors. Your participation in PPS is your assurance that all projects are done right and proper.

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