28 May 2014 - Dr. Bernadette V. Gonzales, Team Leader of the Secondary Education Sector Development Project (SESDP) of the Lao Ministry of Education, was awarded top prize among outstanding projects recognized for having helped advance socio-economic development and reducing poverty in Laos.

The three projects include two by teams from the Ministry of Education and Sports designed to strengthen higher and secondary education and one from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for the successful implementation of the Nam Ngum River basic development project. The three winning projects were chosen from a pool of 13 nominees, from a total of 28 ongoing grant and loan projects.

The selection process for the 2013 outstanding project teams was jointly undertaken by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Laos Resident Mission. They were judged in accordance with five agreed selection criteria measuring project performance including technical performance, achievement of contract award targets, achievement of disbursement target, timely submission of quality project audit report and compliance with safeguard requirements.

Present at the ceremony to hand over the awards were Lao Minister for Planning and Investment Somdy Douangdy and ADB Country Director to Laos Sandra Nicol.

Dr. Gonzales also heads the Basic Education Sector Development Project (BESDP) of the Lao Ministry of Education. She is also President and Chief Executive Officer of International Technology Management Corporation (Intem) with offices in Pasig City, Philippines. END