The Regional Project Advisory Board 2 (RPAB2) chaired by Regional Executive Director Lorenzo M. Caranguian, DA-RFO2, approved three  (3) I-REAP subprojects during its 17th Business Meeting on December 5, 2017, at the DA MPCI Hall, San Gabriel, Tuguegarao City.

“I am happy to be back and work with familiar faces again. Today, let us listen to the presentations as we have three enterprises at hand,” RED Caranguian said in his message after acknowledging the RPAB members, Provincial/City Project Management Implementing Units (PCPMIUs), the Proponent Groups and other participants.

The business meeting was the first RED Caranguian has presided over after he assumed the DA RFO2 leadership effective November 20, 2017.

Dr. Freddie B. Corsino, RPCO2 Focal Person, presented updates on the World Bank (WB) Mid-Term Review Mission through an AVP, saying that,  “Overall, the subprojects visited in Quirino, the host province, were rated Excellent by the World Bank Task Team.”

The proponent groups of the three enterprises approved by the RPAB are: the Farmers Council of Irrigators Association, Incorporated (FCIA, Inc.); G-10 Council of Irrigators Association Inc. (CIA); both from in Santiago City; and, Cabatuan Savings and Development Cooperative (CASADECO) of Cabatuan, Isabela.

In attendance for RPAB 2 representing their Regional Directors were Engr. Jaime Catolos, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH); Mr. Randolph Cacacho, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); Ms. Marina Malamug, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); and Mr. Pedro Barasi, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

The Enterprises

Ms. Vivien de los Santos, I-REAP Component Head, presented the economic viability of the three I-REAP subprojects  as “having the same name, Mungbean Seed Production and Marketing Enterprises but with different proponent groups, operational plans, and objectives.”

In her discussion, de los Santos said that Cagayan Valley ranked second among ten regions nationwide in the production of mungbean in 2016, having 24.33% share in the total national production, with Ilocos Region being the first, with 12,369.17 MT of production, or 36.34% share.

“As to the Top Ten Mungbean Producing Provinces in the Philippines in the same year, Isabela ranked first with 7,205.78 MT representing 21.17 % share in the National Production. With these figures, the proponent groups are expected to sustain the operations and gains of their proposed enterprises, both seed, and food grade as can be seen in their respective business plans,” she said.

RPAB Chairman OIC RED Caranguain with other RPAB member-agency representatives and attendees to the 17th RPAB Business Meeting; December 5, 2017

Using a variety known as “kulabo,”or NSIC Mg14, the Farmers Council of Irrigators Association, Incorporated (FCIA, Inc.) located at Purok 6, Rizal, Santiago City will be engaged in the production and marketing of mungbean for food grade.

FCIA’s start-up enterprise, amounts to Php20,193,500.00 including infrastructure support. It has 1,369 members and a production area of 300 hectares. The objectives include an increase of production area to 1,548 hectares in its 10th year of operation and a net income of the enterprise which amounts to Php4,575,999.98 in year 1. It has a projected increase of Php14,268,897.85 in its 10th year of operation.

Likewise, the proponent group will purchase 270,000 kilograms from farmer-members in its first year of operation with a projected increase of 10% from the 2nd up to the 10th year onwards. It shall also procure from non-members upon establishment of an additional market for mungbean.

The second proponent group from Santiago City, the G-10 Council IA, has a total investment cost of Php18,713,000.00 for its enterprise. It aims to sell seed and food grade mungbean to reach a net income of Php3,975,420.11 in year 1 and Php16,440,107.32 in year 10. Also, because of the projected increase in hectarage and yield, an additional market output of 222,750 kgs for the first year of operation and 10% onwards is targeted.

“With 1,475 members and 250 hectares as a production area, the proponent group intends to increase the number of mungbean farmers with improved access to the Department of Agriculture’s services from 268 in the first year to 1,383 on the 10th year of operation,” Delos Santos said.

Cabatuan Savings and Development Cooperative (CASADECO), with 558 members will venture into seed and food grade mungbean to increase the annual average income of the cooperative members on share capital from Php567.34 per member to Php3,480.20 by the end of year 1. Further, an additional income on patronage refund of the 97 initial members by Php8,008.05 each at the end of the first year of operation is expected.  The cooperative plans to purchase mungbean primarily from its members.

Moreover, it aims to increase the income of targeted beneficiaries from Php14,937,00 to Php 23,188.00 per hectare by the end of 2018.

CASADECO’s Mungbean Seed Production and Marketing Enterprise, with a Total Investment Cost of Php18,080,500.00 including infrastructure support, has 250 hectares of production area with a projected expansion of 20% in hectarage annually. (Ferdinand N. Cortez, RPCO2 InfoACE Unit)