Iloilo City – In the third-year implementation of the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP), the Regional Project Coordination Office-6 (RPCO-6) I-PLAN Component convened together with the proponent groups, farmers and members of the Regional Project Advisory Board to assess Iloilo province’s Provincial Commodity Investment Plans (PCIP) for native chicken and swine.

The activity’s sole focus is to assess the institutionalization of CIPs at the local government unit level. It also seeks to identify issues, gaps and best practices by the different stakeholders.

PPMIU Head Dr. Raul S. Banias lauds proponent groups for the success of the two approved commodity investment plans – native chicken and swine. He encouraged participants to continue formulate strategies to effectively implement the projects in Iloilo.

Project Support Office (PSO) I-PLAN Component Head Imelda Q. Fernandez emphasized that PRDP promotes agricultural development. “PRDP’s mandate is to change the way how [DA] is doing its agricultural plan especially on proper utilization of public funds,” said Fernandez. She further added that key to success of the PRDP’s goal of agricultural development is good planning between all stakeholders involved.

Series of value chain analyses were conducted prior to the preparation and approval of the CIPs. With the highest demand for pork in the country as to date, Iloilo is projected to be one of the largest swine producers in the country.

One of the objectives of the activity is also to conduct a Focus Group Discussion  to collate feedback and information to formulate new strategies in the on-going implementation of the projects.

Focus Group Discussions are conducted with participants coming from proponent groups, farmers and members of the Regional Project Advisory Board during the Provincial Commodity Investments Plan Institutionalization.

“If the plan does not work, change the strategy but never the goal,” said PSO Monitoring and Evaluation Unit Head Franco Villaruel.

At the end of the activity, participants are expected to identify challenges and best practices, and be able to recommend strategies and activities to attain a common goal. (Aileen Joy M. Subade. DA-PRDP RPCO 6)