APAYAO, May 12, 2022 – Twenty (20) field implementers from the Provincial Project Management Office (PPMSO) of Apayao underwent Provincial Outcomes Monitoring Training from April 20 to 22 in Claveria, Cagayan to enhance their technical knowledge and skills in terms of management and project operations.

As the SAAD program Phase-1 ends in December, the program remains committed to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the project implementation benefitting 46 associations in the province.

To achieve these impacts, the program has conducted training with the aim to enhance the knowledge of PPMSO staff on how to produce and utilize data findings that correspond to four (4) major components of the program (Program Management, Social Preparation, Production and Livelihood, and lastly Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development).

Ms. Isabel Tejo, Project Evaluation Officer, who served as one of the resource persons explained the importance of data gathering from the field monitoring.

“Yung mga data na nakukuha natin sa field ay napaka-importante dahil dito natin makikita kung nasang stage na ang FAs, either kung nasa production stage pa sila o ready for marketing na sila. Kapag handa na sila into enterprising doon tayo papasok bilang implementers, trabaho natin ang tulungan sila magkaron ng sustainability at i-boost ang kabuhayan nila using the interventions provided. Kapag hindi pa, we – the implementers must generate recommendations,” expressed Ms. Tejo.

(The data we get from the field is very important because we can use them to check the status of the FAs, if they are still in the production stage or if they are now ready for marketing. If we see them ready for an enterprise, that’s when we enter as implementers, we must help them towards sustainability and boost their livelihood using the interventions provided. If they are not yet ready, we – the implementers must generate recommendations.)

The participants conducted pilot testing and applied the learnings from the training in monitoring Sta. Filomena Elen 4Ps Farmers Association in Brgy. Sta. Filomena, Calanasan, Apayao.

 Pilot testing on Outcome monitoring

During the pilot testing, 10 members of Sta. Filomena Elen 4Ps Farmers Association were invited to participate in the data gathering of the project status of the Goat Production Project implemented in 2021.

Part of the monitoring output is to identify and collect negative and positive outcomes of the project along with their plan as a group.

Meanwhile, Mr. Stepher Banhan, a Marketing Specialist, reminded the PPMSO team of the goal of the SAAD Program.

“Remember, ang goal ng SAAD is to alleviate poverty, secure sustainability, promote livelihood and establishment of the enterprise. Theory of change is an effective tool that helps the organizations to articulate the outcome of the results,” expressed Mr. Banhan.

Apayao is composed of 7 municipalities namely Pudtol, Luna, and Sta. Marcela, Flora, Calanasan, Conner, and Kabugao, which covers a total of 133 barangays.  A series of outcome monitoring will be conducted in May to evaluate other SAAD areas that include 123 barangays and 46 farmer’s associations with a total of 6,189 members. ###

Writer: Kathleen Faye B. Agonoy, Information Officer I, SAAD Apayao