Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala conducted a site visit on Wednesday, July 22, on the proposed Infrastructure Development (farm-to-market road) and Enterprise Development subproject sites in Brgy. San Jose and Brgy. Castuli in Macabebe, Pampanga, which aim to service the farmers and fisherfolk of the municipality.

The farm-to-market road (FMR), which is proposed under the Infrastructure Development component (I-BUILD) of the Philippine Rural Development Project, will stretch for about 3.03 kilometers across the two barangays, and has an estimated project cost of P35 million. Officials from the Regional Project Coordination Office 3 (RPCO3) have already validated the proposed subproject, while the preparation of the feasibility study, program of work, detailed engineering design, and other documents is now on-going.

Aside from the I-BUILD subproject, two Enterprise Development (I-REAP) subprojects, namely, the establishment of common fish landing area with ice plant and cold storage and the establishment of common service provider for desalting, clearing of river channels and repair of dikes, are also being proposed for Macabebe to maximize its potential as an aqua-cultural municipality. According to RPCO3 Alternate Focal Person Gil David, the two proposed Enterprise Development subprojects have a total estimated project cost of about P28 million, and are still up for proponent group prioritization and identification.

Secretary Alcala commended the proposition of the said subprojects, and stated that these will be highly beneficial especially for the aquaculture industry of Macabebe. “The Philippine Rural Development Project is a six-year program of the Department that intends to uplift the lives of the farmers and fisherfolks through its I-BUILD and I-REAP components,” said Secretary Alcala. “The fisherfolks of Macabebe will benefit from these proposed subprojects, especially from the enterprise development subprojects that are specifically designed for the fishery commodities of Macabebe.”

Macabebe is known as a municipality abundant in various aquaculture produce. Having a fishpond area of 8, 357 hectares, the municipality was able to produce last year 5,227 metric tons of milkfish, 450 metric tons of prawn, 7, 207 metric tons of crab, 412 metric tons of tilapia and 1, 320 metric tons of catfish. (Mark Erron H. San Mateo, InfoACE-RPCO3)

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala (left) listens as RPCO Alternate Focal Person Gil David (right) speaks on during the presentation of proposed I-REAP and I-BUILD subprojects in Macabebe, Pampanga last July 22

Undersecretary Asis Peres, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala and Macabebe Mayor Annette Flores-Balgan visit the site of the proposed farm-to-market road project under PRDP