RAWOO and BRP join in participatory monitoring efforts

"The means is as important as the end." This is what the Participatory Programme Monitoring System (PPMS) is all about: monitoring the effectiveness of the processes used in attaining the Programme's objectives with the direct participation of all partners involved.

The designing of a Participatory Programme Monitoring System started in November 2003. It is part of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation of Research Partnerships (JM&E) Project initiated by The Netherlands Development Assistance Research Council (RAWOO). For the PPMS, RAWOO has commissioned Dr. Levita A. Duhaylungsod, an anthropologist from the Agricultural Systems Cluster at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), to develop the framework of the PPMS.

Since the beginning of the project, several activities facilitated by Dr. Duhaylungsod and participated in by BRP researchers and research staff have already been concluded. These were: (a) the orientation on the PPMS which has given the participants an overview of the nature and objectives of the PPMS; and (b) the roundtable discussions which has helped obtain from the participants the parameters and indicators to be used on the PPMS.

The orientation has not only introduced the PPMS but has also elicited a general idea of the level of appreciation of the participants regarding process documentation as a tool in monitoring the programme. It has also included a discussion on the framework and approach of the JM&E Project.

On the other hand, the roundtable discussion served as a venue to the further development of the PPMS framework. The ideas gathered, in turn, became the basis for the development of the PPMS instrument.

On 21 February 2004, the Orientation-Training on the PPMS Instrument was conducted in Cagayan de Oro City. It was participated in by researchers and research staff from the different study teams under the Master and Open Research Projects. Members of the Philippine Working Group (PWG) headed by Dr. Perry S. Ong were also present.

The focus of the activity was instrumentation. Dr. Duhaylungsod presented the PPMS Instrument derived from the parameters and indicators suggested during the roundtable discussions. Exchanging of ideas dominated the activity as participants voiced out their questions, comments and suggestions on each of the items presented.

These undertakings have led to the final PPMS Instrument, which will be used in monitoring the progress of the Programme in relation to its goals and objectives.

To date, the final PPMS forms have been distributed to researchers and almost half of the accomplished forms have been sent back to the National Support Secretariat (NSS). Before long, the programme will be able to see the results of the monitoring process and hope that everyone's efforts have not been in vain.