All 13 project proposals seeking to draw funding under the P1-billion People’s Survival Fund (PSF) were found to be insufficient in form and substance and have been “returned to sender” by the Climate Change Commission (CCC).
The CCC, which acts as the secretariat of the PSF Board, decided to return the project proposals two weeks after the call for project proposals was launched on October 28, for local government units (LGUs) seeking funding for their climate- change adaptation projects to submit the complete set of documentary requirements and use the template issued by the PSF Board. The climate change body is tasked to screen the proposals sought for PSF funding.
The proposals were submitted by proponent-LGUs before October 28, and as expected, failed to follow the format or guideline set by the PSF Board.
The CCC has not received new project proposals since the call for proposal was launched.
“Most of the proposals submitted to us are incomplete. Some did not meet the criteria set by the PSF Board,” a technical staff at the CCC that screened the proposals told the BusinessMirror.
The proposed projects are “the usual” adaptation projects to reduce risks of disasters, including flood prevention, such as construction of river dikes, dam, and relocation centers for those in low-lying areas.
The proposals, however, failed to convince the CCC because they are not accompanied by disaster risk reduction (DRR) plans, risk assessment or study, geohazard maps and other documents that will support the necessity and urgency of such projects in their respective areas.
The CCC is also requiring that projects should at least be aligned with the city or municipality’s DRR plans or development plans duly approved by the respective Sanggunians.
“Sa totoo lang, maluwang pa nga ang requirements under PSF compared to other project-funding requirements,” the source said.
CCC Assistant Secretary Joyceline Goco confirmed that the projects were returned with accompanying notes to the proponents listing down the documents they need to submit along with the project
proposal.