GTZ-DP Launches 2 New Projects in WV Region
The Manager of the German Technical Cooperation - Decentralization Program, Dr. Herwig Mayer, came for a 2-day visit in the region to sign two Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) launching two new grant-projects. The NEDA Region VI Office will lead the implementation of these projects in coordination with the concerned local government units.
Last April 27, 2006 at around 6:30PM in Iloilo City's Sarabia Manor Hotel, Dr. Mayer signed a MOA with Mayor Jerry P. Treñas - Chairman of the Metro Iloilo Development Council (MIDC), for the P1million-project titled "Strengthening Local Government and Private Sector Linkages under the Metro Iloilo Development Council as an Institution for Enhanced Political Decentralization." The MIDC covers 5 LGU, namely: Iloilo City and the Municipalities of Leganes, Oton, Pavia, and San Miguel.
The project would facilitate greater accountability and transparency among the LGU as well as strengthen the oversight capability of the MIDC over its six areas of collaboration, namely: Economic Promotion, Infrastructure Development, Environmental Management, Public Safety and security, Land Use Planning and Management, and Delivery of Basic Services. Specifically, the project aims to achieve the following objectives: 1) MIDC component LGU managing resources more effectively with greater accountability and transparency; 2) enhanced civil society and private sector participation in MIDC-wide good urban governance; and 3) strengthened urban/regional planning and growth management capabilities of MIDC, TWG, Project steering committees, and program support staff. The following project outputs will be delivered: 1) Iloilo City Investment Incentives Code with Implementing Rules and Regulations published; 2) Investment, Revenue/ Tax, Environmental & General Ordinances Codes of the Metro Iloilo component LGU published; 3) economic development offices across MIDC LGUs established; and 4) technical capability of MIDC, TWG, support staff and private sector partners enhanced.
Dr. Mayer proceeded to Antique on April 28, 2006 for another MOA signing with Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez. The project-grant, costing around P1.4 million, is titled "Strengthening Antique Provincial Government and Inter-Local Alliances and Private Sector Collaboration for Good Governance and Decentralization." It was designed to strengthen executive and legislative governance and inter-local government alliances by providing opportunities for greater private sector participation and consensus building in planning, policy making and capacity building activities in the Province of Antique leading to greater demand for decentralization.
Specifically, the project aims to see: 1) Antique LGUs, especially inter-local alliances are managing resources more effectively with greater accountability and transparency; and 2) the private sector organizations are more actively involved in provincial and inter-local governance. The project would deliver these outputs: 1) Evaluation study of existing LGU alliances and other alliances' experiences conducted; 2) Investment, Revenue/Tax, Environmental & General Ordinances Codes of Antique LGU; 3) Provincial and inter-local medium-term investment program prepared with wider private sector and civil society participation; and 4) Technical capability of inter-local LGU staff enhanced.
Since late last year, the GTZ-DP had sponsored various activities in the region for the expansion and follow through of projects implemented under its predecessor - the Decentralized Planning Structures Project. These activities include physical planning for the Province Guimaras, M&E streamlining for RDC-VI, League of Cities conference and various forums and trainings on fiscal decentralization and federalism.