On May 3, 2018, the Local Chief Executives, Planning and Development Coordinators, Engineers, Local Government Operations Officers and Civil Society Organization Representatives of all the Local Government Units in the Province of Cagayan were convened at Valley Hotel, Alimanao, Cagayan for the 1st Provincial Stakeholders Forum on Locally Funded Projects in the Region.
The activity was organized to inform stakeholders of the status of projects in their localities, discuss programs to be implemented in year 2018, address issues and concern on project implementation and fast track project completion of on-going and not yet started projects. In the activity, success stories from outstanding Municipalities were also featured for possible replication of other LGUs. The highlight of the activity was the awarding of Marker and Cash Gift to the Best 2017 LGSF-ADM Implementer and Best Bottom-Up Budgeting Implementer in Cagayan.
In his opening remarks, DILG-Cagayan Provincial Director Ruperto B. Maribbay, Jr. congratulated the local government units for an overall successful implementation of Locally Funded Projects in the Province mentioning that Cagayan places 2nd in terms of ADM Implementation with 67% completion rate out of 122 total projects, next to Nueva Vizcaya which only has 65 Projects. Provincial Director Maribbay stressed the importance of incentivising outstanding performance in encouraging more LGUs to execute the programs of the Department in an excellent way.
DILG Regional Director Jonathan Paul M. Leusen congratulated the province for the initiative. He reiterated that by the end of the semester, all 2014 to 2016 Projects should be 100% completed while 2017 Projects should atleast be 50% accomplished. He challenged LGUs to adopt the strategies of outstanding LGUs which will be presented during the activity to better the implementation of 2018 programs.
Project Development Officer III Junette Dawn Baculfo of OPMO- DILG Central Office discussed the 5 year Road Map of the ADM/AM Program. She also presented the accomplishment of the Department for year 1, chiefly on strengthening Local Development Council Functionality. She also imparted the deliverables of the Department and the LGUs for year 2.
Asst. Project Manager Relly A. Leysa of WSSPMO-OPDS, DILG Central Office comprehensively discussed DILG Memorandum Circular 2018-61 or the Policy Guidelines for the Implementation of the 2018 LGSF-AM Program. Among the issues raised after his presentation were the phasing of projects, overlapping projects from different government agencies and inclusion of temporary housing and other administrative costs in the designs.
An Audio Visual Presentation capturing success stories on PCF from LGU Sanchez Mira, SALINTUBIG from the Municipality of Tuao and BUB from Ballesteros, Cagayan were flaunted.
A criteria measuring the compliance of the Municipalities to submission of documentary requirements and reports; information and publicity; project standard and implementation schedule; and Municipal Project Monitoring Committee functionality was devised in year 2017 upon the launching of the ADM Program by the DILG field officers under the supervision of then Provincial Director Corazon D. Toribio. This criteria was used by the Provincial Awards Committee in assessing the over-all performance of Municipalities in program implementation.
Out of the 28 Municipalities, 8 LGUs were shortlisted for the on-site validation, namely: Abulug, Lasam, Ballesteros, Sanchez Mira, Penablanca, Solana, Buguey and Santa Teresita. Out of these 8 LGUs, Solana was awarded as 3rd placer, Ballesteros was proclaimed 2nd Best ADM Implementer and Penablanca was pronounced as the Best ADM Implementer in the Province.
Provincial Director Ruperto Maribbay announced that for year 2018, the same competition will be carried out urging the LGUs rise from their previous bests. # LGOO II Mikhaela L. Aman
