The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines concluded the first phase of its 2024 Capacity Development Program on Impact Evaluation.
The program aims to strengthen local expertise in impact evaluation across various regions and support the creation of evidence-based studies. These studies are crucial for the effective implementation and updating of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028.
Phase 1 consisted of a 10-day training session held from April 22 to May 3.
NEDA assistant secretary for infrastructure development Roderick Planta noted the importance of the training in equipping participants with the skills to conduct impactful evaluations in their respective fields.
“We hope to equip participants with the tools to navigate the intricacies of impact evaluation and become proficient evaluators who can effect tangible change in the development process,” Planta said.
Vivien Suerte-Cortez, UNDP Philippines team leader for institutions and partnerships, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment as a government partner, promoting evidence-based approaches and results-driven practices in development planning, implementation, and monitoring.
“Evaluation fosters greater accountability and facilitates learning from past experiences,” Cortez said. UNDP Philippines reiterated its support for capacity-building efforts to strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems at both national and sub-national levels.
Phase 2 of the program will focus on practical application through the actual conduct of impact evaluations.
Field experts from the NEDA-UNDP Strategic M&E Project (SMEP) and the NEDA Impact Evaluation Study Review Board (NIESRB) will provide guidance and feedback to the evaluation teams.
The impact evaluation studies, targeted for completion by December 2024, are expected to yield critical insights. These findings will be shared during the 11th Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Network Forum, where evidence-based practices and transformative solutions will be discussed.
