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THE
World Bank has urged the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) to improve its loan
disbursement and implement a review of its three-year
forward plan for the National Program Support for
Environment and Natural Resources Management.
The
Washington-based lending agency said in a letter to
Environment Secretary Jose Atienza Jr. that while the
DENR has cooperated in the conduct of the second
implementation review of the project, apart from the
matters concerning loan disbursement and the forward
plan, there is a need to hasten the awarding of pending
contracts and the implementation of four priority
watersheds.
At the
same time, the Bank conceded that the slow disbursement
rate may be the result of the late approval of the
DENR’s budget for 2008, as well as the delay in the
approval of the 2008 Program Agreement.
The
$57-million-worth project aims to help the DENR finance
and carry out its priority activities to meet its core
mandates and strategic goals in managing, conserving and
protecting the country’s environment and natural
resources.
“I would
like to draw your attention and seek your support for
the following four pending and new issues for which
urgent management actions are required,” Rahul Raturi,
World Bank East Asia and the Pacific Sustainable
Development Department Rural Development, Natural
Resources and Environment Sector Unit senior manager,
said in a letter.
“With
your continued strong support to the project, and able
and dynamic leadership, I am quite confident that all
the [issues] will be looked into and given immediate
resolution,” Raturi added.
The
project is financed by a $50-million-worth loan from the
WB and a $7-million-worth grant from the Global
Environment Facility (GEF).
The
Bank’s review of the project’s implementation showed
only $4 million, or 8 percent, of the $50 million-worth
loan has been disbursed—below the $7 million or
14-percent target set for the period.
In terms
of grant disbursements, the bank said DENR disbursed
$300,000 or only 4 percent of the $7 million-worth
grant. The target grant disbursement for the period was
$1.5 million or 21 percent.
“Considerable effort will be needed to speed up the loan
and grant utilization both by accelerating the pace of
implementation and through timely financial reporting,
particularly from the regional offices,” said Raturi’s
letter. |
