The representatives of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) and specific government agencies recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to consolidate potential investments for the priority commodities of Puerto Princesa City.

Identified through the Project’s Value Chain Analysis (VCA), the city’s priority commodities are cashew, banana-saba, mango, and seaweeds.

“The City of Puerto Princesa continues to benefit from PRDP and the city hopes to maximize its participation in this undertaking. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding is a strong signal that interagency collaboration can be achieved,” City Agriculturist Melissa Macasaet said.

Based on the City Commodity Investment Plan (CCIP), necessary interventions have been identified for the development of the commodity value chains. With the CCIP and the established interagency collaboration, the local government unit (LGU) can tap partner agencies for the funding and implementation of the said interventions.

This interagency convergence includes the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), and the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA). The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Landbank of the Philippines (LBP), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Western Philippines University (WPU), and Palawan State University (PSU) also joined the convergence.

(Left to right) Jun Abrera of BFAR, Alexis Inocentes of PFDA, Engr. Mary Ann Dolojan of DPWH, Dir. Pat Andrew Barrientos of ATI, Joey Rodriguez of LBP, and Xerxes Garcia of PCIC sign the MOU on the interagency convergence for the implementation of the Puerto Princesa City Commodity Investment Plan. (Photo by Leira Vic Colongon, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

“Ang farmers namin ay nandoon sa malalayong barangay at maraming kulang sa kanilang mga pangangailangan (Our farmers are located in far-fetched barangays and they are deprived of some necessities),” Puerto Princesa City Mayor Lucilo Bayron shared.

According to Mayor Bayron, that is the reason why the LGU strives to take advantage of opportunities offered by the PRDP and the interagency collaboration. He added that the collaboration can raise the living conditions of the farmers and fisherfolk of Puerto Princesa.

The MOU is a formal arrangement among the partner agencies to take part in bringing about feasible investments for the development of each priority commodity value chain. The MOU also  highlights the academe’s contribution in terms of research and development.

Through the LGU’s collaboration with key government and nongovernment agencies, it can continue the implementation of projects identified in the CCIP even without the PRDP. ### (Leira Vic Colongon, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)