Project Preparation Study (PPS) for a Local Devolution and Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Program in the Philippines

Sector: Governance and Public Finance

Country: Philippines

PRIMEX, as the Lead Firm, was primarily responsible for the implementation of the PPS in close coordination with DILG, AFD, and CDIA and the delivery of the expected outputs in a timely manner. PRIMEX provided the services of a team of national consultants led by the DRRM Policy Specialist/Team Leader. The other specialists were: (i) Decentralization and Governance Specialist/Deputy Team Leader; (ii) Institutional and Capacity Development Specialist; (iii) Social and Gender Specialist; (iv) Financial and Fiscal Management Specialist; and (v) Climate and Urban Development Specialist. An international Public Administration Specialist was fielded by SOGEROM.
Overall, the PPS Team was able to carry out all planned activities and delivered the following within schedule: (i) DRRM assessment and the appropriate recommendations as well as the preparation of a policy matrix and the design of the TA, ensuring that climate change adaptation was mainstreamed throughout the PPS; (ii) Devolution assessment and recommendations; (iii) Institutional Capacity Development (ICD) Roadmap and design of the TA based on a prior assessment of the organizational, performance management, human resources, and capabilities of DILG and the LGUs; (iv) Assessment and recommendations to improve fiscal and municipal finance management; (v) Framework for gender equality issues and DRRM, based on a social and gender impact assessment, and for ensuring the mainstreaming of pro-poor and gender-sensitive measures in the policy matrix and TA design; and (vi) Identification of priority cities and projects for inclusion in the program. Towards the end of Month 8, the following additional activities were identified and included in the scope of work extending the contract duration to 10.5 months: (i) determination of achievement of at least 80% of the results indicators for each reform area and development of monitoring framework that will keep track of the accomplishment of policy matrix indicators; and (ii) detailed plan and scope of work for the Project Management Office (PMO) budget allocation of EUR300,000, which will cover project administration, technical working group (TWG) mobilization, procurement support, and other key start-up activities to support the DILG.