ADB extends $1.4-M technical aid for Mindanao roads

MANILA, Philippines - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has extended a $1.4-million technical assistance for the improvement of national roads in Mindanao.

Of the total amount, $1.2 million will be financed on a grant basis by the ADB, while the national government would provide in-kind counterpart support, according to an ADB report.

“This project supports the government’s agenda for Mindanao in the Philippines Development Plan 2011-2016. The (technical assistance) is included in ADB’s country operations business plan 2014-2016 for the Philippines,” it added.

The project will start this January and terminate in April 2015.

Part of the plan is to update and consolidate the existing Mindanao network master plan.

An international consulting firm would be tapped to implement the project. The services will require a total of 24 person-months of international consultants and 40 person-months of national consultants, according to the ADB.

The consultants would consolidate plans and projects of responsible government agencies and update them. This will be aligned with economic developments for Mindanao’s road network, including the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, it added.

The feasibility study and project design will cover engineering, economic, social impact, and safeguards activities. The engineering study will include geological, topographical, and hydrological surveys; preliminary pavement design; detailed cost estimates; and implementation plan.

The economic work will include traffic surveys and an assessment of the economic feasibility of the project. The financial work will include a financial management assessment of the executing agency and analysis of the financial sustainability of the project.

The social tasks will cover poverty, social, and gender analysis; and preparation of a social/gender action plan, stakeholder communication strategy, consultation and disclosure plan, and community engagement plans.

Work on safeguards will include capacity building for government staff; assessment of impacts on environment, involuntary resettlement, and indigenous people; and preparation of an assessment report and resettlement and plans for indigenous groups.

The consultants for the technical assistance will conduct an assessment of the project’s capacity-building component.

They will also assist the Department of Public Works and Highways in preparing the project design proposal to be submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority.