MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has merged oversight of two major World Bank-supported reform initiatives under a single project management office (PMO), aiming to improve coordination, speed up implementation, and strengthen accountability across the agency.

The move was formalized through a department order signed by Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., creating a joint PMO for the Philippines Sustainable Agriculture Transformation (PSAT) Program and the Technical Assistance for Sustainable Agricultural Transformation (TASAT) Project. Both initiatives are funded through Official Development Assistance from the World Bank.

“The creation of a unified PMO is critical to ensure that these programs are implemented efficiently, transparently, and in full alignment with our reform agenda,” said Tiu Laurel, underscoring the need for stronger coordination. “This will allow us to accelerate delivery and ensure development assistance translates into tangible gains,” he added.

Under the arrangement, the PSAT program operates as a policy-based loan, with funding tied to the government’s performance indicators, while TASAT provides technical support aimed at advancing institutional reforms. The setup effectively links financing to the DA’s ability to meet governance and delivery targets.

The new PMO will be led by a Project Director, assisted by a Deputy Project Director tasked with supervising day-to-day operations and ensuring compliance among participating units. It will also include specialized Result Area Units responsible for delivering reform outcomes connected to disbursement-linked indicators required by the World Bank.

These units will be supported by technical working groups drawn from various DA offices, including those handling rice systems, high-value crops, logistics, and internal services such as procurement and audit. The structure reflects a shift toward a more integrated approach, moving away from previously fragmented program implementation.

A Project Support Team will provide administrative and technical support, covering finance, procurement, human resources, and advisory functions to ensure adherence to both government and donor requirements.

The DA said dedicated finance and procurement units are expected to help minimize delays, a recurring issue in government-funded projects.

The reorganization also aims to address coordination gaps within the agency and manage overlapping mandates. Monitoring systems and audit mechanisms tied to loan disbursements are expected to enhance accountability, though stricter compliance requirements may pose challenges to implementation speed.

Funding for the PMO will be sourced from project allocations and existing agency resources, subject to government auditing rules.

The order takes effect immediately, signaling the department’s effort to strengthen oversight of external funding as it pursues agricultural modernization, higher productivity, and improved food security.