The members of the Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) in CAR approved P31,719,516.00 worth of small livelihood project (SLP) proposals submitted by the Provinces of Abra, Benguet and Mountain Province under the Enterprise Development (I-REAP) Component of the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) in a meeting held on December 16, 2015 in Baguio City.

To support our farmers who were adversely affected by Typhoon Lando, the PRDP, thru the SLP provides short-term recovery interventions, said Ms. Josie Beray, Head of the I-REAP component of RPCO-CAR.

During the RPAB meeting, the LGU officials were given the opportunity to present and defend their proposals.

Abra province presented nine proposals worth P11,284,317.00, Benguet presented ten worth P11,507,719.00, while Mountain Province presented seven worth P8,927,480.00.  Kalinga province presented one proposal worth P920,750.00 but its  approval was deferred subject to revisions and several suggested addendums.

Dr. Danilo Daguio, Deputy Project Director of PRDP – RPCO CAR, said that the estimated amount of assessed damages caused by typhoon “Lando” in the agriculture sector has reached about P437 million as of November 1, 2015.

“Since the maximum amount of the grant per proposal shall not exceed P1 million pesos, the Cordillera Region should at least prepare 437 proposals under SLP in order for the region to recover,” he said.

“This project is extended until December, 2016 and the SLPs require less rigid measures for approval unlike the other PRDP subproject proposals,” he added.

Moreover, DA RPCO CAR Project Director Dr. Lorenzo M. Caranguian encouraged the local government unit officials to submit more SLPs that are agri-based and are justifiable to meet the project’s aim to help farmers and fishers recover lost or damaged livelihoods in areas affected by calamities, particularly typhoon “Lando”. (Mabel Zabala, InfoACE RPCO CAR)