The Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), through its Regional Coordination Office 8 (RPCO 8) conducted data gathering activities for the PRDP Scale-Up Midterm Evaluation Study on January 28 to 30, in line with its continuing efforts to assess project performance and improve the delivery of rural development interventions.

The activity was undertaken pursuant to a memorandum issued by the Office of the Deputy National Project Director, which directed the mobilization of an independent evaluation team to assess the extent to which planned interventions have been delivered and targeted intermediate results and outcomes have been achieved at the midterm of project implementation.

To support the evaluation team, selected personnel from the RPCO 8, Project Support Office (PSO), and the National Project Coordination Office (NPCO) assisted in the conduct of field-level data gathering activities. These included random sampling, focus group discussions with beneficiaries of completed subprojects, and key informant interviews with concerned local government unit (LGU) officials.

The subprojects covered, activity itinerary, and criteria for respondent selection were guided by the approved study framework and supporting documents to ensure consistency and reliability of the data collected.

Regional offices provided the necessary assistance within their respective jurisdictions, particularly in terms of logistical and coordination support, including engagement with LGUs and other stakeholders, to ensure the smooth conduct of the activities.

Through this activity PRDP further underscored the importance of the Midterm Evaluation Study in generating lessons and evidence that will help further strengthen the implementation of PRDP Scale-Up, and expressed appreciation for the cooperation extended by all concerned offices and partners in the successful conduct of the activity.