30 November 2005 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo signed yesterday for the Government of the Philippines the Addendum to the Financing Agreement extending until 31 July 2007 the implementation of the European Commission–assisted Upland Development Programme (UPD) for Southern Mindanao.

Mr. Erich Muller, Director for EuropeAid Cooperation Office in Brussels, pre-signed on 14 October 2005 for the EC the Addendum of the Financing Agreement.  The Department of Agriculture, the lead implementing agency of the Project, and the National Economic Development Authority endorsed the signing of the Addendum.

The project aims to uplift the living standards of the upland communities in Southern Mindanao.   The UDP started in January 1999 and is supposed to end in January 2006.  It covers 143 barangays in 36 municipalities in the provinces of Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Sarangani and South Cotabato.  The UDP has a total project cost of 47.65 M Euro.   The Department said the extension time will not entail any additional cost for both the Philippine Government and the EC.

As of 31 December 2004, the project has a physical accomplishment of 78% per its logframe and a financial accomplishment of 59% equivalent to 13.526 M Euro.  Since 2003, the Project has adopted and implemented a Sustainable Upland Development model, which proved to be effective in addressing the needs of the upland communities.

The 18-month extension will ensure that impact and sustainability of the Project will not just be felt at the community level but also at the national level.  It will also guarantee that resources are well spent to come up with a replicable model for upland resource-based management, which could then be used in the sustainable management of the uplands. END