The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA), the counterpart agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on May 20 towards strengthening local expertise in impact evaluation,
The MOA was formally signed at the NEDA Central Office by Secretary Arsenio Balisacan of NEDA and Bangsamoro director-general Mohajirin Ali of the BPDA.
This agreement marks a pivotal step in the government’s continuous efforts to strengthen its programs and projects in the BARMM.
The capacity development program on impact evaluation, a key component of the MOA, aims to augment BPDA’s ability to assess local service delivery within BARMM.
The program will focus on attribution in project or program evaluation, ensuring that interventions significantly contribute to the region’s developmental goals.
“The agreement we are signing today transcends a mere document. It paves the way for learning, sharing, and collaboration among M&E [monitoring and evaluation] practitioners. It equips our institutions with the necessary skills and experience to conduct rigorous impact evaluation studies that will directly benefit our community,” Balisacan said.
The MOA is supported by the NEDA-United Nations Development Programme Strategic Monitoring and Evaluation Project.
Igt seeks to facilitate a more effective evaluation of programs and projects under the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028 and the Public Investment Plan at both national and sub-national levels.
NEDA provided technical training to BPDA personnel as part of the agreement, enabling them to gain a comprehensive understanding of impact evaluation principles, theories, designs, tools and methodologies.
The training will further enhance their skills in the preparation, design and management of such evaluations.
“The robust evidence generated through this program will inform strategies and plans, embed impact evaluation principles into development planning, and facilitate effective communication of policy recommendations to relevant stakeholders,” said Balisacan.
NEDA and BPDA are also jointly designing and executing impact evaluation studies on selected BARMM programs and projects.
This will provide practical learning experience in the design, conduct and management of impact evaluation studies. The findings and recommendations from this study will be instrumental in policy decisions and the formulation of new projects within the region.
“The insights from these studies will shape policies and programs within the BARMM, promoting transparency and accountability in government efforts,” Balisacan said.