Name of Client:
Agence Française de Développement (AFD)
Country:
Philippines
Length of Consultancy Assignment:
Start Date: July 2022
Completion Date: November 2022
Detailed Narrative Description of Project:
The Appraisal Mission is being organized in preparation for the implementation of a technical assistance program which is part of the CPH 1050 Disaster Risk Reduction Enhancement at the Local Level (DRREALL) Policy-based Loan (PBL) Program of the AFD. The DRREALL Technical Assistance (TA) aims to support the Government of the Philippines (GoP) through the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the devolution process of disaster risk reduction management (DRRM) and climate change mandate and services to the local government units (LGUs). This program will help build DRRM and climate change adaptation (CCA) capacities both at the national and local levels and will support ongoing reform programs nationwide.
The Appraisal Mission is a joint field mission of the AFD, Expertise France (EF), and the Centre d’études et d’expertise sur les risques, l’environnement, la mobilité et l’aménagement or Center for Studies and Expertise on Risks, the Environment, Mobility and Planning (CEREMA), which will aim to: (i) finalize the final application form; (ii) fine-tune the detailed technical, legal, and logistical arrangements; and (iii) officially launch the cooperation between the DILG and CEREMA. It will mainly consist of a series of consultations with the DILG, Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and other partner agencies on 14-21 October 2022. The consultations will cover the recap of agreements and discussion of policy reform areas identified in the Project Preparation Study (PPS) conducted by PRIMEX from June 2021 to April 2022 as commissioned by the Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) through its AFD-European Union (EU) window. Through the consultations, the mission will seek reaffirmation of the partner agencies’ commitments in the implementation of the DREALL program based on the policy matrix endorsed by the GoP. The policy matrix covers the following reform areas: (i) building local capacity for risk-informed planning; (ii) strengthening DILG capacity to manage a performance audit mechanism and an integrated capacity development strategy for DRRM and CCA; (iii) improving LGUs’ capacity to use the DRRM funds effectively; and (iv) enhancing LGUs’ gender-sensitive and socially inclusive approaches in disaster response. The policy matrix is one of the major outputs of the PPS conducted by PRIMEX and now serves as the backbone of the DREALL program. The PPS assisted the AFD and DILG in designing the DREALL program for eventual funding by the AFD.
Description of Actual Services Provided by Your Staff within the Assignment:
PRIMEX will provide logistical support to AFD in the conduct of this Joint Appraisal Mission by mobilizing a three-member team composed of a Project Manager, Project Coordinator, and Finance Officer. The team will assist in: (i) setting up and making arrangements for meetings and/or interviews with various national and local government officials and staff, as well as with other stakeholder representatives to be identified by AFD; (ii) preparing the highlights of the meetings and consultations; (iii) providing logistics support, such as making arrangements for airport pick-up, hotel bookings, and vehicle rental, as necessary; and (iv) performing other support tasks, as may be required by the AFD Mission.