Millennium Challenge Corp team of experts arrives in Tacloban on Oct 2

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
October 1, 2010

TACLOBAN CITY  –  The Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC), an independent US Foreign Aid Agency under the Obama Administration, is scheduled to send a team of experts in Tacloban City on October 2, 2010.

This good news comes just a week after no less than President Benigno S. Aquino III witnessed as the Philippines formally received a five-year, $434-million grant from Washington-based Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC) that will be used to finance poverty alleviation, road construction and tax administration improvement projects.

DPWH Director Angelito Twaño informed that the two-man team composed of Mr. Ben Campbell, Director for Environmental and Social Assessments, and Jozefina Cultura, Gender Specialist, will be accompanied by no less than DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singzon.

The team will have breakfast at the DPWH Regional Office where a briefing on Eastern Visayas will be conducted, Director Twaño said. From there, the team will inspect the area of implementation for the rehabilitation and concreting of the 222 line segments of Taft-Buray road project.

It would be recalled that the MCC granted $214.44 Million for the rehabilitation of 222 kilometers of road in Samar through the Secondary National Roads Development. After lunch at Borongan, the group will proceed to Guiuan where the team is scheduled to dialogue with government officials.

On Sunday, October 2, DSWD-8 ARD Jaime P. Eclevea who is the Regional Project Manager of KALAHI-CIDSS: KKB, informed that the team will be visiting Paranas, Samar, and Hernani and Balangiga in Eastern Samar.

The MCC, it would be recalled, has allotted some $120 Million for infrastructure and other community-based rural development programs covered by Kapitbisig-Laban sa Kahirapan - Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) scheme.