As part of the completion phase of the pilot implementation of the Community Development in Conflict Affected Areas in Mindanao (CD-CAAM) Project implemented by the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA), a team from Japan International Cooperation Agency – Headquarters (JICA-HQ) visited pilot sites on August 13, 2014 at Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao.

The mission aimed to conduct fact-finding study to the JICA Projects in Mindanao especially on Labor-Based Technology on road construction and development. The team visited the Road Rehabilitation and Road Maintenance Component of the Infra Sector at the piloted barangays of Tariken and Namuken in Sultan Mastura.

Members of the JICA mission team were: Koji Demizu, In-charge of CD-CAAM-JICA-HQ, Masahiko Suzuki, Senior Advisor of JICA-HQ, Juro Chikaraishi, Senior Advisor for Mindanao, Cristina Santiago, Senior Program Officer, JICA PP and Enrique Naguiat, Program Officer, JICA PP.

Engr. Ismail A. Guiamel, Regional Infrastructure Engineer (RIE) of CD-CAAM presented the plan for the construction of the box culvert in the road rehabilitation at Brgy. Tariken. He also presented the construction method and procedures of implementation to the team.

During discussion, Engr. Guiamel also emphasized how beneficial the Labor-Based Technology (LBT) to the community of the selected Barangays in terms of livelihood. “Aside from job-generating initiative of the LBT, the said method increases the ownership of the community to the project”, he added.

While still on its implementation phase, Infrastructure sector of the CD-CAAM conducts numerous follow-through and monitoring activities that was carried-out throughout the year to ensure the capacity building and effective implementation of the pilot project in all levels from the level of the BDA down to the community.

Masahiko Suzuki, Senior Adviser of the JICA HQ commended the BDA in the effectiveness and efficiency of the process in implementing projects in the selected Barangay roads of Sultan Mastura. “The projects is very helpful to the community and it truly realize the importance of the Labor-Based technology (LBT) especially where they provide paths of developments in their own lands.” Suzuki said.

After the site visit, the team met with Municipal Local Government Unit (MLGU) of Sultan Mastura. The team likewise met with Mohammad S. Yacob, Executive Director of BDA at Central Management Office in Cotabato City.

The team is set to conduct site visit also to the other two sectors of the CD-CAAM project: the Agriculture and Fishery Sector.

CD-CAAM Project is implemented by BDA in partnership with JICA and ICNet Limited.