With the cacao farmers from the Cacao Growers Association of Lopez set to represent the South Luzon Region on the upcoming 13th World Bank Implementation Support Mission to the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) next month, the Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) CALABARZON conducted a two-day mentoring and assessment activity on October 26, 2021 to prepare and mentor the representing Proponent Group (PG).

The Cacao Growers Association of Lopez was chosen for their outstanding performance and consistency in good record on both infrastructure and enterprise compliance with the World Bank’s requirements; having the processing facility completed 23 days ahead of schedule, with minor adjustments and fully functional facilities.

RPCO CALABARZON I-REAP Unit Specialist Richmond Osorio and Business Development Officers Precious Aquino, Kristel Vito, and Dr. JP Receno led the enterprise assessment (EA) and coaching/mentoring of the association for the upcoming PG consultation by the World Bank. Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) Officer Janine Vicente also finalized her assessment documentation for the SES compliance of the project.

Cacao Growers Association of Lopez President Bernardo R. Cantuba expressed his gratitude to the DA-PRDP for its continuing support to their association that led to a comfortable life for beneficiaries.

“Talagang malaki ang pasasalamat ko at ng aking mga miyembro sa asosasyon sa mga tulong na bigay ng PRDP, mula sa pagpapadala ng mga kagamitan hanggang sa pagpapatayo ng isang processing center para sa aming mga kakaw at tablea. Ito po ay talagang nagdulot ng malaking kaginhawaan para sa aming mga magsasaka ng kakaw.”, Cantuba expressed.

Awaiting the last stages of the financial process, the provincial representative of Quezon-PRDP strengthens their promise to expedite the process of the needed financial documents to ensure that the project will be turned over to the association and the local government of Lopez before the year ends.

DA-PRDP staff present during the activity were also joined by the Provincial Government of Quezon – Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) Agricultural Officer Karl Niño Sisperez, DA-PRDP Rural Infrastructure Engineers (RIE) Engineer Jerwin Bituin and Engineer Jerome Fabrero, DA-PRDP Geomapping and Governance Unit Officer (GGU) Carlo Dorado, DA-PRDP InfoACE Unit Project Development Associate (PDA) Elijah Ocial, Lopez Municipal Agriculturist Rebecca Tiama, and remaining members of the association.  (Eli Ocial, DA-PRDP CALABARZON RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Frontal view of the DA-PRDP supported Cacao Processing Center of Lopez, Quezon

I-REAP Specialist Richmond Osorio and I-REAP Officer Kristel Vito interview the president of the Cacao Growers Association of Lopez, Bernardo R. Cantuba

the Cacao Growers Association of Lopez packaged products, Choco Peanut Spread and Tablea Cocoa Tablet

a member of the association carries a tray of their finished cacao product