Barangays and towns will have a bigger voice in what projects the Provincial Government will prioritize, - Kalinga PPDC Moldero

Tabuk City, Kalinga - Kalinga province, under the leadership of Governor James Edduba, is set to experience better and more helpful projects in the coming years as the focus will be on what communities truly need, according to the Kalinga PPDC  

In a recent interview with PPDC Coordinator EnP. Flordeliza G. Moldero, she said there shall be a prioritization of projects that come from the ground. This decision was made and the approach laid out during the Sectoral Consultation and Planning Workshop conducted by the PLGU, through the Provincial Planning and Development Council (PPDC), on July 24-25 in Morong, Bataan. 

Among those key officials who attended said gathering included Governor Edduba, Vice-Governor Dave Odiem, the provincial board members, department heads, PDC officials, municipality/city officials, and employees, among others. 

During the gathering, it was underscored that all government projects (big or small) must be based on what the communities truly need. Moldero said this is “a whole society approach.” 

Under this approach, development plans also come directly from the people and not just from the top. Barangays and towns now have a bigger voice in deciding which projects are really important to them. 

Moldero said most of the focus projects mentioned in their priorities include proper canals and drainage to avoid floods, health and education support to reach more families, programs for the youth and elderly, climate change solutions and disaster preparedness, boosting tourism and preserving culture, and food security, among others.  

Process of project prioritization 

Moldero explained that in order to ensure that projects will indeed address what communities need, planning should start from the ground, from the barangay level, and move upward. 

Community concerns will later be consolidated by their respective municipal/city planning and development councils. Once concerns are gathered, they are evaluated.

If a proposed project has a significant impact on the barangay, municipal, or provincial level, it will be endorsed to the PPDC and considered for inclusion in the province’s Annual Investment Program (AIP). 

“Ada ti established nga planning process tayo. In coming out with the Annual Investment Program (AIP). Every first quarter of the year, during the AIP planning process, the Municipal Planning and Development Council (MPDC), through their respective coordinators, will revisit ti amin nga barangays idiay respective jurisdictions da to generate their priorities and concerns. Iconsilidate ni apo MPDC didjay, then after that, there will be an initial evaluation. Nu adan ton na-identified da nga priority concerns, or projects that have impact either in barangay, municipal, or provincial, isu ti maisubmit ditoy PPDC, through the secretariat. Dagijay maisubmit da, isu ti mainclude idiay provincial AIP natin. Dagijay naisubmit ket nareview manen, so another process and evaluations in line with the development agenda of the governor,” Moldero explained. 

Moldero added that for bigger or multi-million projects that are beyond the province’s financial capacity, they will be endorsed to the higher offices.

“For big projects or the multi-million projects nga haan tayo talaga kaya nga punduan, isu ti iconsolidate mi iti higher authorities like the office of the Congrewoman or in the regional PDC. Dagijay kaya tayo nga iabsorb su met ti mabati nga mapunduan using our local fund,” she said.  

Monitoring and evaluation of implemented projects 

Moldero detailed that the province will monitor implemented projects to know if they match the actual needs of the communities. According to her, the PPDC will have clear indicators to determine whether the planned goals are achieved. Measurable indicators are set to monitor the implemented projects.

After the implementation, updated data is gathered to assess whether or not the project improved the lives of the people. 

“Ada ti araramiden tayo nga plan assessment…In every development goal, ada ti corresponding measurable indicators na. Before nga nagplan tayo, dagitoy nga measurable indicators tayo, usaren tayo to nga pangmonitor whether the goals were attained or achieved. After the planning period, ag-gather tayo manen iti updated data on how far we’ve done. Nagimprove ba or nagworsen? …Ma measure tayo nu didjay ba nga project ket talaga metlang nga ada impact na. When it comes to infra data, ada ti Project Monitoring Committee tayo,” she said.

Mechanism put in place to prevent duplication of projects and ensure proper fund utilization

In the past, different government offices planned separately, which led to overlapping or duplicated projects. Moldero said this issue is now being addressed by an improved process she called “interfacing.”

The new system brings all LGU officials together to plan as one, unlike before when offices operated independently and had little coordination.

“As to duplication of funds, actually dagita ti naobserbahan da iti previous, tata nga adan inaramid tayon nga improvement idiay process tayo or what we call “interfacing”, ket agsasango ti amin nga officials of LGUs so that we can plan as one haan nga kasla dati nga they can plan separately. Haan da nga agkikinita tapno maamwan nu anya ti pinunduan ti bawat maysa kanyada. Now there is a collaboration process,” she explained.

The legislative body now works with the PPDC

The PPDC officer revealed that the provincial legislators are now involved with the planning process. By participating, they are better informed of community needs and can help push for budgets and ordinances that support impactful projects in the province.

Their presence ensures stronger coordination between the executive and legislative branches, enabling faster policy actions, better budget allocation, and more responsive development programs. By listening to communities and working closely with government offices, Kalinga aims to use its budget more wisely, avoid project delays, and deliver real change that the iKalingas will feel in their daily lives, said Moldero.