USAID's Growth with Equity In Mindanao (GEM) Program has designed a community-based, multi-sectoral mechanism to accelerate economic growth and development in Mindanao. Infrastructure Monitoring and Advisory Groups (IMAGs) were conceived by GEM and then established by GEM's partner, the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) as problem-solving mechanisms to significantly accelerate the construction of those high priority road construction projects that will have positive impacts on Mindanao's agricultural economy and the livelihood of its citizens.

IMAGs, chaired by the LGU heads and assisted by MEDCo, meet monthly to monitor the performance of both contractors and implementing agencies. IMAGs solve problems, eliminate obstacles, and overcome delays. The monthly IMAG meetings promote transparency and public awareness by involving local officials as well as representatives from the business community, the media, and the NGOs.

Some of the successful IMAG-assisted projects include the 45-kilometer Calinan-Buda road in Davao City, which is at 89% accomplishment; the 44-kilometer Buug-Kabasalan road in Zamboanga del Sur, which is 64% complete; and the recently completed 46-kilometer Maramag-Kibawe road in Bukidnon.

"The completion of the Maramag-Kibawe road will lower costs and minimize damage to vegetables shipped from southern Bukidnon. As a result, more farmers in Pangantucan, Kibawe, and Maramag areas will be encouraged to increase vegetable production and diversify into higher value crops," according to Marcelino Remotigue, president of the Northern Mindanao Vegetable Producers Association Inc. (NMVPAI), one of the leading business support organizations in the area.

Because of the benefits of the IMAG approach for road projects, MEDCo, the ARMM government and local governments have created IMAGs for other infrastructure projects in Mindanao such as airports, seaports, irrigation facilities, and tourism support infrastructure.