I. BACKGROUND
The Government is adopting a two-pronged approach: (1) negotiated political settlement of all armed conflict through peace negotiations; and (2) undertaking programs aimed at addressing the root causes of armed conflict through interventions on the ground to strengthen peace-building, reconstruction and development in conflict-vulnerable areas.
The PAMANA Program, as embodied in the Philippine Development Plan for 2011 to 2016, was launched as the National Government's framework for intervention in conflict-vulnerable areas to complement the peace negotiation efforts in line with its commitment to address the causes of conflict and issues affecting the peace process. The Program will be implemented within the 5-year period from 2011 to 2016.
A. PAMANA PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The PAMANA Program aims to contribute to lasting peace by achieving the following objectives:
B. PAMANA PROGRAM STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES
The Program endeavors to attain its objectives by bringing back government to PAMANA identified areas and ensuring that communities benefit from improved delivery of basic services and are served by responsive, transparent and accountable local government units.
The Program approaches are: 1) convergence of delivery of basic services; 2) good governance through responsive, transparent and accountable resource allocation and utilization; 3) community empowerment to enhance local demand for services in conflict-affected barangays; and 4) asset reform to address age-old issues of agrarian unrest and encroachment and unimpeded exploitation of ancestral domain and natural resources. To ensure that all interventions are truly peace-building, the principles of social cohesion, namely: inclusion, participation, transparency and accountability and conflict-sensitivity are applied.
In line with its food security and sufficiency mandate, the Department of Agriculture will support the PAMANA Program by providing focused and targeted interventions and adopting strategies and approaches that improve local governance and local government unit institutional capacities which will foster sub-regional development, promote social cohesion and reduce poverty in conflict-vulnerable areas.
C. PAMANA PROGRAM FRAMEWORK
The PAMANA Program framework is anchored on three complimentary strategic pillars that define core interventions to achieve lasting peace, as follow:
The PAMANA Program shall be implemented by national line agencies in partnership with local government units (LGUs), through various modalities, as appropriate to their respective mandates.
For FY 2013, the Department of Agriculture will implement PAMANA Pillar 3 projects, along with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Energy (DOE)-National Electrification Administration (NEA) and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), while Pillar 2 shall be implemented by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
PAMANA Program’s Pillar 3 is anchored on the goal of high-impact sub-regional economic integration, connectivity and development. It provides support for economic integration of poor areas with more prosperous areas, thus addressing development issues beyond the geographic boundaries of conflict-affected communities. This ultimately contributes to the building of communities that are resilient even in the midst of armed conflict.
Hand-in-hand with the goal of bringing sub-regional development to Conflict- Affected Areas (CAAs), PAMANA Areas, Pillar 3 also aims to heal, build and strengthen the relationships within and among communities, and between citizens and the government in order to build up the social and institutional capital necessary to further peace and development in the respective conflict-affected communities. Based on a consciousness that armed conflict is not only rooted in issues of resource scarcity such as poverty and underdevelopment, it is imperative that the PAMANA Program will as well address the subtler, yet equally potent relational and structural roots of armed conflict. As such, the Principles of Social Cohesion (PSC) are embodied in the PAMANA Program via the following process inputs:
D. PAMANA PROGRAM COVERAGE
PAMANA Program covers seven geographical zones, in which target areas have been selected and prioritized based on the various peace process lines:
E. PAMANA PROGRAM FUND
The Program Fund will be sourced out from the CY 2013 General Appropriations Act (GAA) allotted to Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Units DA-RFUs), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Regional Offices (ROs) and other Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) to finance the budgetary requirement of sub-regional development projects under Pillar 3.
The Fund may also be used to support community projects identified under the closure programs with the CBA-CPLA and the RPMP /RPA/ ABB.
II. MECHANICS OF ACCESSING THE PAMANA PROGRAM FUND
A. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
1. Eligible LGUs
Eligible LGUs are those previously selected and prioritized, based on the criteria set by OPAPP, in close coordination with the Security Sector, or as defined by the relevant Peace Agreements.
2. Eligible Projects
Eligible projects for funding are those that are:
Local projects under the PAMANA Program may include agri-fishery infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects in conflict affected areas and IP areas.
Please refer to Annex A for samples of eligible projects.
B. PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS IN ACCESSING THE PAMANA PROGRAM FUND
1. Preparation, Submission and Evaluation of Project Proposals and Supporting Documents
d.1 | Procurement Plan | |
d.2 | Work and Financial Plan | |
d.3 | Program of Works and Detailed Estimates | |
d.4 | Detailed Technical Description (for non-infrastructure projects)/ Detailed Engineering Plans (for infrastructure projects) | |
d.5 | Geo-tagged project data. In cases where the LGU currently has no capability on applied geo-tagging technology, the DA Regional Office may provide technical assistance to generate said data. | |
d.6 | Appropriate Sangguniang Resolution | |
d.6.1 | Authorizing the Local Chief Executive to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA); and | |
d.6.2 | Approving the allocation of LGU counterpart funds, if needed. |
2. Approval of Project Proposals and Designation of Implementing Partners
3. Replacement of Projects
a.1 | Double funding. However, in the event that both programmed proposals have yet to be implemented, it is recommended that the project in question be implemented under the PAMANA Program Fund. |
a.2 | If the proposed project is found to be technically unfeasible after project appraisal. |
c.1 | Sourced from the results of a conflict-sensitive planning process as defined by the Department of the Interior and Local Government. |
c.2 | No additional project cost (shall cost the same as the allocation of the original project to be replaced). |
c.3 | Proof of conflict-sensitivity. |
4. Approval of the PAMANA Program Fund
b.1 | Certification from a Government Bank that the Implementing Partner has opened a Special Trust Account for the PAMANA Program; and |
b.2 | Appropriations Ordinance to cover the total project cost from MLGU / CLGU / PLGU-Implementing Partners. |
C. PAMANA PROGRAM FUND ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
1. All applicable provisions of COA Circular No. 94-103 dated December 13, 1994 re “Rules and Regulations in the Grant Utilization and Liquidation of Funds Transferred to Implementing Agencies” and COA Circular 2012-001, S. of 2012 dated June 14, 2012 re: prescribing the revised guidelines and documentary requirements for Common Government Transactions shall be followed.
2. DA-RFUs/BFAR ROs / NIA ROs shall open a Special Trust Account (STA) exclusively intended for the management of PAMANA Program Funds.
3. The recipient Implementing Partner shall open a Special Trust Account in a Government Bank. Funds shall be directly transferred by the DA-RFU / BFAR RO / NIA RO to the Implementing Partner through the STA by tranches. The amount to be transferred shall be based on the approved Work and Financial Plan as agreed with the LGU and the prescribed tranches
D. MECHANICS OF PAMANA PROGRAM FUND RELEASES
For all types of projects (i.e. infrastructure, livelihood, procurement of equipments/goods) fund releases will be made in three (3) tranches:
1. 50% for the 1st tranche of the total project cost to cover mobilization and other project costs specified in the detailed implementation and procurement plan and or program of works;
2. 40% for the 2nd tranche will be released once 70% of the first tranche has been disbursed and properly liquidated; and
3. 10% for the final tranche will be released upon LGU submission of evidentiary support that the release of 80% has been fully disbursed, as well as a Certificate of Completion in the case of infrastructure and livelihood projects or a Certificate of Acceptance for procurement of equipment/goods.
However, sub-projects that require one-time procurement, release of funds to the LGUs will be in full.
4. Request for fund releases shall be submitted to the DA-RFUs / BFAR ROs / NIA ROs together with the required supporting documents.
5. Liquidation of fund releases shall be made by the recipient Municipal/City / Provincial Local Government Units and other entities to DA-RFUs / BFAR ROs / NIA ROs.
III. IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS
A. The Program National Steering Committee
1. The Program National Steering Committee (PNSC) shall be co-chaired by Undersecretaries of OPAPP and DA with the Assistant Secretaries and Directors of OPAPP and DA, as may be assigned by the heads of both agencies, as members. The Regional Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries-ARMM and representatives of BFAR, NIA and other agencies shall be invited as needed.
2. The PNSC shall:
B. The Program Regional and Provincial Steering Committees
1. The Program Regional and Provincial Steering Committees (PR/PSC) shall comprise of members of the Regional and Provincial Peace and Order Councils and their Secretariats.
2. The PR/PSC shall:
IV. IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS
Eligible Municipal/Component City / Provincial Local Government Units, Department of Public Works and Highways and Arm Forces of the Philippines Engineering Brigades shall:
V. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
OPAPP shall act as the lead agency in monitoring of the PAMANA Program, in partnership with the PAMANA implementing agency partners.
To ensure timely approval, fund release, implementation and completion of projects under The PAMANA Program, regular monitoring and evaluation shall be conducted by DA. Site visits will be undertaken to assess project status and integration of peace and conflict sensitive tools and processes in the different aspects of local governance.
VI. PENALTIES AND SANCTIONS
The Regional Executive Director / BFAR Regional Director / NIA Regional Manager upon consultation with the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) is authorized to:
1. Terminate/Cancel the Implementation of the Project for the following Instances:
In such case that the project is partially or fully cancelled due to the fault of the Implementing Partner, the Implementing Partner shall be obliged to return the unexpended balance of the released portion of the funds or the pertinent portion related to the cancelled component, whichever applicable.
2. Suspend/Withhold the Release of the Final Tranche if any of the following Occurs:
Implementing Partners will be given a period of one (1) month to resolve the issue, improve performance or remedy the situation. However, termination will be resorted only if Implementing Partners, having been duly notified, do not make any effort to institute measures that will address issues at hand.
VII. EFFECTIVITY
This Administrative Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation and its filing with Administrative Register, UP Law Center.
(SGD.) PROCESO J. ALCALA
Secretary, DA