The external evaluation of PhilNet-RDI was conducted (from the 3^rd week of November up to the 2^nd week of December 2008) on the 2006-2008 program implementation of PhilNet-RDI. The evaluation team consists of head evaluator John van de Winkel of the Hasco Vandewinkel Consult of Netherlands, BALIGYA business development coordinator Luz Julieta Rio, and Sam Vigil of PhilNet-RDI as internal member of the team.

The emphasis of the evaluation was on the assessment of the impact and results of the ‘Local Economy Development’ program of PhilNet-RDI. The evaluators visited the five LED areas (Sagay City, Negros Occidental; Bayawan City, Negros Oriental; Ormoc City, Leyte; Isulan, Sultan Kudarat; and Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte) and conducted meetings with the beneficiaries, farmers with 1-2 hectares of land, employees of the RDI’s and the regional secretariats, representatives of people’s organizations and local governments units. The meetings centered on the changes that took place in their lives, successes and failures they experienced as well as their immediate plans and concerns. 

 
The evaluation teams general conclusions and recommendations are as follows:

General conclusions

1.      The 3-year objectives have been generally achieved.

2.      PhilNet-RDI has worked out seriously the recommendations of the 2005 evaluation.

3.      The LED approach as the core of the 2006-2008 strategy has been proven as an effective strategic move and can already be considered for replication in other areas.

4.      The organizational changes made strengthened the Network and the organizational structure was adjusted in order to support the objectives set by the Network.

5.      The ensured sustainability of the network in financial terms has not been realized.

6.      The Monitoring and Evaluation system in the LED communities is in place and produces huge amounts of data. However, the system is complex and time consuming and delivers insufficient information where and when needed so that there is need to modify this further.

7.      For the next 3-year plan the focus of the existing LED areas should be on:

a.      the empowerment of the People Organizations for enterprise development,

b.      business development,

c.       clustering into farmers groups to achieve economies of scale.

Recommendations

1.      PhilNet-RDI should consider focusing more on the development of People Organizations and business/enterprises as a next step in local economy development; empower the People Organizations and make use of the economies of scale to ensure sustainability.

2.      The support of PhilNet-RDI for the realization of new enterprises has to be improved.

3.      Treat business strictly businesslike.

4.      PhilNet-RDI should focus on its core competencies which are networking, advocacy and social marketing; its role in business development is linking and mobilizing the resources and partners and tapping on existing business development service providers. An exit strategy/plan has to be in place in case where PhilNet-RDI is engaged in a business start up.

5.      The Network should consider providing more consolidating support to its existing five LED areas and start replicating the experiences in other communities.

6.      Investigate the viability of replicating the Barangay Minaba, Bayawan City, model of curriculum-integrated sustainable gardening approach for school children and their households.

7.      PhilNet-RDI operates in a very complex and challenging environment. Still, it must be possible for PhilNet-RDI with all the experiences and knowledge to speed up processes and to reduce the time for the realization of projects processes. This goes the same for the time needed for the realization of complex projects as well as for the delivery of reports.

8.      PhilNet-RDI is at the edge of a duly institutionalized, professional organization. The By-Laws of this organization should be in place and need an article that all members of the Board of Trustees should observe a limit of 3 years subject only to one other 3 year term. Furthermore, it has to be an exception if one person has different conflicting tasks and responsibilities within PhilNet-RDI.

9.      Simplify the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tools and use the data for analysis on regional and national level. Bring the M & E tools in line with the objectives.

10.  The progress reports, and specially the annual reports, have to become more accessible and focus on results in relation to the objectives. All objectives have to be ‘smart’ (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound).

11.  The reporting on finance has to be brought in line with the quarterly budget system and has to provide at least the comparison between actuals per quarter, year to date, budget and actuals last year.

12.  Develop long term strategy for sustainability for the organizational maintenance of the Network in the funding budget with a minimum target of 10 % in the next 3 year program.

13.  In the interest of sustainable development of marginalized rural communities ICCO should consider a long term relationship with PhilNet-RDI for organizational maintenance, given the context of aid effectiveness.

14.  Organize an annual workshop for the combined secretariats for further development of the added value of the works and tasks of the secretariats.

The conclusions and findings were presented before the senior officers of the Secretariat and the executive directors of all the rural development institutes during the PhilNet-RDI annual assessment and planning held at the Ciudad Christia Resort, San Mateo, Rizal on December 17-19, 2008.