OK, it's the last day of March. The first quarter of the year is gone. Tomorrow, we start a new quarter. So many things to do, so little time. There goes the familiar refrain. But, at this age, let's not fret about time. It's counterproductive. It's just that April is our birth month. And if you are my age, it always feels like time flies so fast.
We're busy on this research about micro-enterprises. Atty. Cambangay says it's important we come up with a program framework on sustainable livelihoods. We will start with this study on micro-enterprises. I have to finish the design for this rapid survey or assessment. We have to find out what the agencies and NGOs, as well as LGUs, are doing to support micro-entrepreneurs. Probably it will take us more than a month to do this province-wide survey.
Then we can talk about preparing that framework later.
Today, we had an interesting workshop, actually a baseline survey on the performance of the DILG-GTZ WSSPMO (Water Supply and Sanitation Project Management Office). A three-member DAP staff Center for Knowledge Management led by Vice President Elizabeth Manugue facilitated the activity. Good design, good time management.
Around 20 participants attended, including several Municipal Planning and Development Coordinators (MPDCs). There was even a participant from the Ilaw ng Buhay Water User Association of Guindulman municipality. He is Felix Licong. There was a loud applause. It warmed the heart to know the Ilaw ng Buhay is still alive in a few places despite the center being closed for more than 10 years.
This made my day. Guindulman Vice Mayor Eleno Laga called up. He's running for Mayor. He used to be an outstanding trainer and fieldworker of the UNICEF-assisted Ilaw ng Buhay (Light of Life) program of long ago. Hope he gets that post now in his town.
Memories are creeping in. I should stop now. It has been a long day as usual.
Good night to all.
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Monday, March 29, 2004
Ms. Sylvia Clemente, FAO/UN Consultant, visited our office this morning. She was accompanied by Ms. Corazon Estocado of the Department of Agrarian Reform. Atty. Cambangay, the head of our office, the Provincial Planning and Development Office, invited me to join him in answering questions from the mission.
She was actually the 6th consultant from DAR to visit us since last year here at the Capitol. I remember one lady consultant who borrowed the CD version of the Poverty Reduction framework She said she would just copy it in her laptop back in the hotel. That was the last time we heard of her. Like all the hordes of consultants and researchers from all sorts of agencies before her, she did not give us even a draft copy of her report.
All the previous 5 consultants working on agrarian reform practically asked the same question: how do we integrate the ARC plans with the LGU planning process? It gets so taxing, for me at least, to answer the same question each time that a DAR consultant comes around, particularly if it's already phase 3 of the project. Don't they ever compare notes?
These consultants and researchers (from DAR Manila and other agencies) just appear here and we extend to them all the cooperation we can muster. We spend an average of two to three hours per visit of consultants and researchers to our office. In most instances, we even arrange their appointments with other agencies. Not that we are complaining; it's just that they should at least give us a summary of what they have found out here and their recommendations. We don't even bother to ask them about their TOR and credentials. Everything's taken in good faith. But it looks like they do not regard us as their equal; they do not even bother to tell us about the results of their mission.
All we want is for them to be fair with us. Perhaps we can learn a thing or two from their reports. Let's see if Ms. Clemente will be different from the rest of them.
There, I finally managed to say it. It has been bugging me for a long time, this unpleasant feeling that we are just being used by some people.
She was actually the 6th consultant from DAR to visit us since last year here at the Capitol. I remember one lady consultant who borrowed the CD version of the Poverty Reduction framework She said she would just copy it in her laptop back in the hotel. That was the last time we heard of her. Like all the hordes of consultants and researchers from all sorts of agencies before her, she did not give us even a draft copy of her report.
All the previous 5 consultants working on agrarian reform practically asked the same question: how do we integrate the ARC plans with the LGU planning process? It gets so taxing, for me at least, to answer the same question each time that a DAR consultant comes around, particularly if it's already phase 3 of the project. Don't they ever compare notes?
These consultants and researchers (from DAR Manila and other agencies) just appear here and we extend to them all the cooperation we can muster. We spend an average of two to three hours per visit of consultants and researchers to our office. In most instances, we even arrange their appointments with other agencies. Not that we are complaining; it's just that they should at least give us a summary of what they have found out here and their recommendations. We don't even bother to ask them about their TOR and credentials. Everything's taken in good faith. But it looks like they do not regard us as their equal; they do not even bother to tell us about the results of their mission.
All we want is for them to be fair with us. Perhaps we can learn a thing or two from their reports. Let's see if Ms. Clemente will be different from the rest of them.
There, I finally managed to say it. It has been bugging me for a long time, this unpleasant feeling that we are just being used by some people.
Sunday, March 28, 2004
By next week, the third month of the year is gone. We have been busy with a lot of things lately. But this is not an excuse to neglect this journal thing. It's a question of finding the time, or is it a matter of will? Surely being busy is not an excuse. I must find the time to write, reflect ... It warms the heart to know 101 visited the journal this month. And to think I had only one entry!
What were we busy about in March? Let's see. First week, I went back to an old action item that I had really to dispose of. That was revising the draft Medium term development plan 2004-2009 of Bohol province. I had to put in the poverty reduction focus in each of the sectors. Well, I was able to do the revisions in five days' time.The ball is now with the sector heads. They are also awfully busy with a lot of things, but I hope they will be able to come up with the final draft by early next month.
The AusAID education sector mission came. We had to rush some references for them. We also gave the mission a copy of the proposal we drafted a year ago for the retrieval of school dropouts. This case of so many unemployed youth, in addition to school dropouts (6-14 yrs old), really needs to be addressed. Someone will have to match the abundant idle land with this phenomenon of having unemployed youth in the hundreds joining the labor force each year but finding no job at all.
Then I had to rush an accomplishment report for the unit and a proposal for availing volunteers from the Korea Overseas Volunteers program. I found time to direct the work being done on the formulation of a staff development plan for the 15 provincial agencies. This involves establishing the database for all of more than 600 regular employees of the Provincial Government. If we can have the plan and implement it in a 12-year period to coincide with the time frame for the poverty reduction framework, it can motivate employees to work harder; their career path will be clearer.
Lito de Vera came to attend a national conference of DED (German Development Cooperation) volunteers held here in Bohol. He dropped by in the office with a colleague. I know this guy from way back during our brief stint with NEDA. Our posting there was paid for by UNICEF.
On 07 March, Tony Irving, Arnold Seloterio and I met with the Purok Development Volunteers of our village. It was a Sunday, but all the volunteers turned up. The PDVs do not receive any honorarium. It's a great thing they come even on a Sunday. We usually meet with the 12 volunteers from the six puroks on a Sunday. That was their choice.
I found time to act as judge for an essay writing contest among first year high school students in Tagbilaran City.
For the month, I am back to the routine of riding in the van that brings children to school as early as 7.00 a.m. I know the doctor will again complain since I have had no time for my usual brisk walking up and down the hill. Still, I found no time to write on this journal regularly.
I hope I can do better next time...
What were we busy about in March? Let's see. First week, I went back to an old action item that I had really to dispose of. That was revising the draft Medium term development plan 2004-2009 of Bohol province. I had to put in the poverty reduction focus in each of the sectors. Well, I was able to do the revisions in five days' time.The ball is now with the sector heads. They are also awfully busy with a lot of things, but I hope they will be able to come up with the final draft by early next month.
The AusAID education sector mission came. We had to rush some references for them. We also gave the mission a copy of the proposal we drafted a year ago for the retrieval of school dropouts. This case of so many unemployed youth, in addition to school dropouts (6-14 yrs old), really needs to be addressed. Someone will have to match the abundant idle land with this phenomenon of having unemployed youth in the hundreds joining the labor force each year but finding no job at all.
Then I had to rush an accomplishment report for the unit and a proposal for availing volunteers from the Korea Overseas Volunteers program. I found time to direct the work being done on the formulation of a staff development plan for the 15 provincial agencies. This involves establishing the database for all of more than 600 regular employees of the Provincial Government. If we can have the plan and implement it in a 12-year period to coincide with the time frame for the poverty reduction framework, it can motivate employees to work harder; their career path will be clearer.
Lito de Vera came to attend a national conference of DED (German Development Cooperation) volunteers held here in Bohol. He dropped by in the office with a colleague. I know this guy from way back during our brief stint with NEDA. Our posting there was paid for by UNICEF.
On 07 March, Tony Irving, Arnold Seloterio and I met with the Purok Development Volunteers of our village. It was a Sunday, but all the volunteers turned up. The PDVs do not receive any honorarium. It's a great thing they come even on a Sunday. We usually meet with the 12 volunteers from the six puroks on a Sunday. That was their choice.
I found time to act as judge for an essay writing contest among first year high school students in Tagbilaran City.
For the month, I am back to the routine of riding in the van that brings children to school as early as 7.00 a.m. I know the doctor will again complain since I have had no time for my usual brisk walking up and down the hill. Still, I found no time to write on this journal regularly.
I hope I can do better next time...
Monday, March 08, 2004
Still too busy to get into this journal thing. Still waiting for AusAID PACAP to formally approve the LGU strengthening project in 17 municipalities here in Bohol. Still trying make head or tail of the new projects coming up as part of the poverty reduction efforts. Still wondering why donors seem not interested to monitor their projects here. Still trying to figure out what can be good motivating points so government employees will work hard from day to day. Still getting drowned by all these charges and countercharges among the politicians in this busy season. Still pretesting the survey methodology in Laya. Still. Still. Still...
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