Members of the Regional Development Council VIII – Regional Project Monitoring Committee Technical Working Group (RDC VIII-RPMC TWG) agreed to address critical issues in the implementation of the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in conflict-affected areas (CAAs) during the action planning meeting held on 8 July 2019 at the NEDA Regional Office (NRO) VIII, Government Center, Palo, Leyte.

Among the agreements is the preparation of catch-up plans by the DPWH on projects encountering implementation problems, and provide updates on the actions taken. Reports from the DPWH on the PAMANA implementation will be validated by the TWG members.

For its part, the RPMC VIII will conduct project monitoring visits during the last week of July to the first week of August 2019 to also validate said reports.

The action planning meeting was conducted in response to the RDC VIII – Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) Eastern Visayas – Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) VIII Joint Resolution No. 24, s. 2018, “Approving the Creation of a Technical Working Group (TWG) to Gather Facts and Prepare Recommendations on the Implementation of Projects in Conflict Affected Areas (CAAs)”.

The TWG is chaired by NEDA VIII and co-chaired by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) VIII. Members include the DPWH VIII, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), the Office of the President – Presidential Management Staff (OP-PMS), the Philippine National Police – Police Regional Office VIII (PNP-PRO VIII), the 8th Infantry Division – Philippine Army, the provincial Local Government Units of Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar, the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in PAMANA areas, and 3 RDC VIII Private Sector Representatives (PSRs).

Article by Knulp Aseo / Lucille B. Gajutos
Photo by PMED/NEDA VIII