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Ex-post Evaluation

Asia

1. Outline of the Project

Country:

Philippines

Project title:

National Center for Transportation Studies Project

Issue/Sector:

Traffic

Cooperation Scheme:

Project-Type Technical Cooperation

Division in Charge:

Social Development Cooperation Department

Total Costs:

Period of Cooperation

(R/D) : January 1992
April 1992 - March 1997

(F/U) : April 1997 - March 1999

Partner Country’s Implementing Organization:

Department of Transportation and Communications
National Center for Transportation Studies

Supporting Organization in Japan:

Ministry of Construction (currently the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport), Tsukuba University and Other

Related Cooperation:

project-type technical cooperation; “Transportation Training Center Project (TTC)”

1-1 Background of the Project

“Transportation Training Center Project (TTC),” a project-type technical cooperation, was carried out at the University of the Philippines (UP) for seven years from April 1977 to March 1984. The results of the project encouraged the government to form a plan aiming to develop this center into a transportation research center to hold training, conduct research, and serve in an academic capacity. To this end, the government of the Philippines requested the technical cooperation of the government of Japan, aiming to establish a training center with facilities for both government agencies’ officials and high-level research and education facilities. The project was started in 1992. The project’s results were remarkable and widely recognized. The TTC was converted to the National Center for Transportation Studies (NCTS) as a regular faculty of the UP, (based on Executive Order No. 105 in 1993), and an improvement of higher education at the graduate level made it the sole institute for transportation-related studies in the Philippines. However, due to the difficulties in completing all activities by the end of the project, a two-year follow-up cooperation was carried out from April 1997.

1-2 Project Overview

The government of Japan provided technical cooperation for the improvement of the training division at TTC - (of which NCTS is a subsidiary), and for the establishment of a master’s course in the same field to develop solutions for worsening traffic conditions in the Philippines.

(1) Overall Goal
1) In the field of transportation in the Philippines, the human resources are developed.
2) In the field of transportation in the Philippines, the research activities are enhanced.

(2) Project Purpose
In the NCTS, experts in the filed of transportation are nurtured continuously.

(3) Outputs
1) To implement and the establishment of advanced training.
2) To provide of necessary information services on transportation.
3) To promote of research related to integrated transport policy.
4) To recruit and upgrade of education staff.

(4) Inputs

Japanese side:

 

Project Period

Follow-Up Period

Long-Term Experts

17

7

Short-Term Experts

47

9

Trainees Received

17

7

Equipment

585 Million yen

28 Million yen

Local Costs

85 Million yen

15 Million yen

Philippines Side:

 

Project Period

Follow-Up Period

Counterparts

51

29

Land and Facilities

Provided

Expansion of Building 2.5 Million yen

Local Cost

 

28 Million yen

Others

Other Equipment

 

2. Evaluation Team

Members of the Evaluation Team

Nick Baoy, JICA Philippine Office
Victor Lorenzo, Shinfield Consultancy Phil., Inc.
Abelardo Armentia - ditto -
Esther L. Sicad - ditto -

Period of Evaluation

December 13, 2002 – March 12, 2003

Type of Evaluation:

Ex-Post Evaluation by Overseas Offices

3. Results of Evaluation

3-1 Summary of Evaluation Results

(1) Impact
Since 1999, the National Center for Transportation Studies (NCTS) has seen 21 students graduate from faculty of Engineering and the faculty of Urban and Regional Planning of the University of the Philippines (UP). Of these graduates, six graduated with a Master of Science in Civil Engineering Major in Transportation Engineering (MSCE-TE), and 15 with a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning Major in Transportation Planning (MA/MA URP-TP). There have been 58 graduates since the UP started to offer graduate degrees in the transportation field.

Of these 58 graduates, 25 are employed in government organizations, 20 in academic research organizations, and 13 in private-sector companies. In the training division, training was held 24 times from 1999 to 2002, and 318 students have graduated. According to a questionnaire and interviews given to NCTS graduates and students (due to time restraints, only 8 graduates and 12 students were surveyed in this study), graduates employed at the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) stated that as a result of their degree from the NCTS, they are now involved in the evaluation of public transportation projects of the agency, whereas previously they had to rely on outside consultants. There were also cases in which their degrees led to promotions and gave them more confidence in work related to transportation planning. The transportation field in the Philippines is still highly specialized and not so many people aim at becoming experts in this field, but NCTS is fulfilling its role as an institution of higher learning by contributing to the training of personnel in this field.

Since graduates and students currently hold important positions in transportation divisions within government-related organizations, they have many opportunities to participate in transportation conferences and write documents on transportation-related topics. In this way, the NCTS has indirectly contributed to policy-making on transportation in the Philippines. However, the NCTS has not yet contributed to policy-making in transportation in the Philippines to the extent anticipated. Interviews conducted in this study demonstrated that the NCTS studies produced good output, but that they were not engaged in practical research that could actually be applied to real transportation policies. The NCTS executive officers are well aware that this is an issue they must deal with in the future.

The NCTS also actively implemented its research activities, and from 2000 to May 2002 presented 66 research papers at academic conferences both overseas and in the Philippines. Considering that the NCTS had submitted only 28 research papers as of 1999, this shows the active nature of their research activities. NCTS also participates in international conferences, presenting ten research papers at the Fourth Conference of the Eastern Society for Transportation Studies (EASTS) held in Hanoi in October 2001. NCTS has conducted joint research projects with international research institutes such as the Japan Automobile Research Institute, kept up exchanges with former JICA experts through the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), and promoted research activities.

(2) Sustainability
After the Project was completed, NCTS continued to offer degrees in the transportation engineering and transportation planning fields. Toward the end of this evaluation, it was expected that NCTS would be able to have its own faculty by 2002, become a degree-granting institution and establish a new PhD course, but the NCTS still cannot offer degrees without affiliation with other colleges. As for the training activities, most of the participants for professional training courses are from governmental institutions, but there are also participants from the private sector, expanding the range of students targeted. However, the total number of courses is decreasing. This is probably due to training fees that NCTS began charging for participating in the courses beginning in 2002.

NCTS has strengthened the sustainability of its activities through its joint efforts with other JICA schemes. For example, NCTS managed and operated the database installed by the Metro Manila Urban Transportation Integration Study (MMUTIS), a development study implemented by JICA. This improved its ability to provide information services in the transportation field - one of the Project outputs. NCTS also added to its training knowledge by managing and organizing third-country training; (the Executives’ Forum on Urban Environment and Transportation Development Management (EXETRAM)).

NCTS faculty members earned doctoral degrees by studying abroad even after the Project was completed. NCTS is currently establishing the New Medium and Long-Term Plan for NCTS (Transplan), and plans to create additional faculty positions. This would increase the number of faculties and strengthen NCTS organizationally.

Not only does NCTS receive financial support from the UP, but also has access to funds from the NCTS Foundation. Accordingly, the NCTS’s financial status has been relatively stable. However, an increase in maintenance costs for equipment resulted in a loss for the 2002 fiscal year, and it does not have financial sources sufficient to cover the cost of expensive equipment. The government is considering cutting its allocations to national universities, and the NCTS may face severe problems in securing funds in the future. Moreover, the Institute of Behavioral Sciences (IBS) in Japan, which has provided scholarships to NCTS students, decided to reduce its funds in May 2003 due to the slump in the Japanese economy. The NCTS must find another source of funding as soon as possible, since this loss will likely lead to a drop in the number of NCTS students.

3-2 Factors that Promoted the Realization of Effects

(1) Factors Concerning the Planning Process
N/A

(2) Factors Concerning the Implementation Process
1) The fact that the NCTS is the only center for transportation-related studies in the Philippines and that it provides high quality education and training gave confirmation to its solid domestic reputation. This has helped assure the Project’s impact and sustainability.
2) NCTS activities have been strengthened and the organization’s sustainability enhanced by staff returning to the NCTS after earning doctoral degrees in the transportation field at institutions overseas.
3) Joint research projects with international transportation-related research institutes has vitalized and strengthened NCTS research. NCTS activities are also supported by efforts to maintain relationships with former JICA experts (instructors) involved with the Project through JSPS.

3-3 Factors that Impeded the Realization of Effects

(1) Factors Concerning the Planning Process
N/A

(2) Factors Concerning the Implementation Process
N/A

3-4 Conclusion

The NCTS project has contributed to the Philippines’ transportation field in terms of both developing human resources and research activities. The expected impact has materialized, and NCTS secured its sustainability. For the future, it is expected to strengthen policy recommendations. Since difficulties in securing funds for equipment maintenance and scholarships can be anticipated, and finances need to be strengthened.

3-5 Recommendations

(1) NCTS must consider setting up exchange programs with government institutions or the private sector, which would intensify its research activities and strengthen its position in recommending transportation policy. This would increase the NCTS’s opportunities to be involved with practical transportation issues and put the NCTS in the position to give more realistic and applicable advice.

(2) It is also important to consider using the NCTS Foundation for scholarships and equipment maintenance costs.

3-6 Lessons Learned

(1) To enhance the effect of the Project, it is necessary to dispatch experts who can match the needs and skills of a given recipient country. In the Project, receiving assistance from Japanese universities similar to the NCTS helped to facilitate understanding of the recipient’s needs and points of view and led to Project results.

(2) In personnel training projects like this one, involvement with other JICA schemes, which include elements of personnel training, would be beneficial. This time, the joint efforts created opportunities for the trainees to practice the acquired skills from JICA’s other schemes like the development survey and third-country training. This has augmented the effects of both projects.

3-7 Follow-up Situation

N/A

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