| ADB mission heaps praise on DAR for Davao Projects |
DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur - A review mission of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) praised highly the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for the proper implementation of the agrarian reform support service projects to improve the living standards of the the farmers in Davao del Sur. The ADB mission said after visiting projects implemented in Manila town, DAR is great because it has been performing very well. Bubur Alimov, Russian economist from Uzbekistan who led the ADB mission tasked to review DAR's projects in the province made the remarks before the farmer-beneficiaries (FBs), DAR personnel and officials and guests who participated in the conference. During the conference. Alimov asked the FBs if the farm-to-market road and the coco-coir decorticating machine given them by DAR actually serve their needs.He (Alimov) also asked the FBs if they still need more priority projects for them to meet fully their needs. He further asked FBs if they are willing to protect the mountains if there are reforested by the government. The FBs answered "yes".The FBs told Alimov that among other things needed to improve their life. They badly needed potable water system project and electricity as well as seed capital for the livelihood projects. Because of the DARs achievement in the area, Alimov said, another subproject may be funded by the ADB provided they can process the needed documents within one year. He also said that the ADB project is set to end up by year-end of 2005, but added there is still a possibility for extension depending on the results of the ADB evaluation. Alimov was overwhelmingly satisfied by his findings on the ADB's financing of the poverty-alleviation projects such as social infrastructures as well as livelihood projects, costing Php98.5 Million in Davao del Sur's ARCs alone. (source TODAY,by Eldie Aguirre) |
