COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Administrators of a $30-million financing from the World Bank (WB) have organized 110 municipal multi-sector committees (MMSC), and trained members from the towns in Maguindanao on the mechanics of planning and carrying out projects funded under the foreign assistance for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Technical personnel from the ARMM Social Fund Program (ASFP) led by Project Manager Nasser Sinarimbo conducted the orientation training here from September 15 and 16, dealing with the MMSC members from Maguindanao’s first district on the first day, and those from the second district on the second day.

During the two-day gathering, the MMSC members were also installed as rural bodies entitled to approve or defer projects funded under the WB support fund in their respective communities.

Sinarimbo said the $30 million additional financing from the World Bank will cover 596 villages in the region until May 31, 2013.

The region’s more than 700 other villages have been covered by previous WB-funded projects, it was learned.

The WB additional financing prescribes two components – Institutional Strengthening and Governance (ISG), and Community Development Assistance (CDA) projects.

The ISG covers information, education, and communication aspects, and capacity-building on improved local governance and project management support, while the CDA includes building of community-based infrastructure and strengthening of livelihood and food sufficiency.

Sinarimbo prodded the MMSCs not to approve project proposals on the “construction of stand-alone multi-purpose buildings as they are not used daily.”

The ASFP, which Sinarimbo heads, is the official conduit and administrator of funds from WB and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Out of the WB’s new financing, the ASF will download some P114 million to the Department of Social Welfare and Development in ARMM “to cover its administrative and operational cost in the management, supervision and monitoring of the implementation of small-scale infrastructure subprojects and livelihood activities by People’s Organizations in the 596 target villages.”

The 596 villages are located in the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao Del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

It was learned that such villages are bereft of public schools, a vacuum the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) envisions to fill up with the fresh P3.5-billion grant to a six-year education program in ARMM that will kick off January next year.