BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) awards outstanding implementers in the Cordillera during the Management Meeting held on March 9 at the DA-CAR conference hall here.

In recognition of the efforts and major accomplishments of the provinces and municipalities in CAR, the Project Support Office (PSO) North Luzon cluster conducted a brief awarding ceremony during the said Management Meeting with the virtual participation of the Provincial/Municipal Management and Implementing Units (P/MPMIUs).

The following awards were presented by PSO North Luzon Deputy Project Director Elma S. Mananes and I-BUILD head Engr. Ernesto Pitok – received by DA-CAR Regional Executive Director and RPCO-CAR Project Director Cameron P. Odsey:

The municipality of Bauko, Mountain Province was recognized for their outstanding and timely implementation of the I-REAP subproject civil works: Potato Tubers Production and Marketing (Storage Facility and Greenhouse Site), successfully finishing the project within the prescribed timeline and target completion date.

A similar award was also given to the province of Ifugao for the I-REAP subproject civil works: Ifugao Coffee Processing and Marketing Enterprise in the municipality of Asipulo.

Moreover, the province of Kalinga was recognized for their outstanding and timely implementation for the I-BUILD subproject: Improvement of Bado Dangwa-Guilayon Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) in Tabuk City, finishing the subproject five months and 29 days ahead of target completion.

In addition to these awards. The RPCO-CAR was also recognized as the top region for having the highest cumulative disbursement for I-BUILD subprojects under the Additional Financing (AF) –P412 million (M) disbursed of 75 percent of the total obligated cost of P551 M.

The RPCO-CAR was also recognized for the successful conduct of the Training on Geo-mapping using Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) and Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) updating for the province of Kalinga and Apayao.

Prior to the awarding ceremony, Dir. Elma S. Mananes presented the overall performance of the DA-PRDP in the North Luzon cluster. The discussions during the meeting focused on the status and issues/pending compliances of ongoing subprojects and coming up with strategies and activities to meet the disbursement targets for 2021.

Mananes said that the Cordillera has the highest share in the North Luzon cluster for both the Original Loan (OL) and the first Additional Financing (AF 1). Nonetheless, bulk of the ongoing subprojects are funded under the OL which is affecting the financial accomplishment of the cluster.

“We were able to meet the 80 percent disbursement target under the OL and 35 percent under the AF1. However, all subprojects funded under the OL and AF 1 should still be completed until 2022 and that includes the repackaged FMR subprojects in Ifugao, Benguet, and Mountain Province,” she said.

Meanwhile, Dir. Odsey expressed his gratitude to all implementers especially the provincial and municipal LGUs for their continued cooperation in the implementation of projects under the DA.

“Let us continue to exert all efforts, complete our projects, finish it on time and not risk not being funded if we won’t be able to meet the deadline,” urged Odsey as he commended the province of Kalinga for setting the record of completing a FMR subproject five months in advance. ### ELVY TAQUIO ESTACIO (DA-PRDP)