Following the AFoCO Online Training on Project Development and Proposal Writing conducted in March 2021, six (6) governmental officials from the Forest Management Bureau (FMB) of the Philippines who attended the course further developed their in-country capacity development workshop on the same topic. The national roll-out workshop, which will take place from 7 to 11 June, invited more than 110 local government officials across the country from the central FMB and 17 regional offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), including Regions 1 ~ 13, National Capital Region (NCR), DENR Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), CALABARZON Region, and MIMAROPA Region.
After the AFoCO training course, the FMB observed the need for the regional and field offices to formulate relevant forestry project concepts and proposals. Hence, they proposed a roll-out session, wherein the development of skills in project formulation of DENR regional and field offices will address the peculiarities, needs, and specific issues of the regions, contributing to the formulation and enhancement of forestry programs and policies. It is also important to the FMB that the concepts and proposals emanate from the regional and field offices. Moreover, well-formulated and technically sound project proposals are perceived as important tools for justifying investments from funding sources.
During the opening ceremony of the national roll-out workshop, Mr. Ricardo L. Calderon, Executive Director of AFoCO Secretariat, emphasized that member-driven project proposals, which are already in line with national strategies and goals, have the most significant impacts on the achievement of AFoCO’s mission and vision. He further addressed that the Secretariat will actively respond to calls from member countries to expand its scope of capacity-building efforts through developing various programs and activities.
Mr. Marcial Amaro Jr., Assistant Secretary for the DENR and the Concurrent Director of the FMB, expects the event to be a bridge that runs from the Secretariat to the sub-national and local levels to enhance the country’s capacities in project development. Announcing the 34th anniversary of DENR this Thursday, Mr. Amaro added that the roll-out session will be a cause for a double celebration.
The Secretariat will further encourage other member countries to conduct national roll-out sessions of the project proposal development workshops.
