With the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP)’s vision to boost enterprises and provide world-class infrastructures, a brighter future awaits rural farmers and fishers in North Luzon.

Comprising of Regions 1, 2, 3 and CAR, the North Luzon cluster of the PRDP has attained numerous milestones that pave the way for better linkages, increased opportunities and additional income for the rural agriculture and fishery sector.

The recently conducted 4^th World Bank Implementation Support Mission in Ilocos Sur served as a venue for recognizing the progress of the cluster and to highlight the emerging benefits that PRDP has been delivering to its target beneficiaries.

Present in the event were National Deputy Project Director Cirilo Namoc and PRDP Luzon A Project Director Roy Abaya who presented national and cluster-wide updates, respectively.

Institutionalizing the planning process

Under the I-PLAN component, the cluster was able to identify 32 Value Chain Analyses – 20 of which have already been approved by the National Project Coordination Office (NPCO).

All 22 provinces already have Provincial Commodity Investment Plans (PCIP) approved by their respective Provincial Development Councils (PDC). Five of these have undergone updating, 12 are currently being updated and the remaining five are yet to be updated.

The PCIP contains priority programs and projects that aim to increase marketable surplus through investment on strategic rural infrastructure and livelihood enterprises.

Through the interventions cited in the PCIP, 321 non-PRDP funded subprojects have been identified amounting to P2.943 billion. Out of these, 103 subprojects were successfully completed, 102 are under implementation, 15 are under procurement and 101 are proposed for funding.

Aside from the Department of Agriculture (DA), other government agencies such as the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Provincial Government have provided funds for the non-PRDP subprojects identified in the PCIPs.

In an earlier interview with Engr. Dencio Pagbilao, alternate head of the Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU) of Quirino, he shared how the formulation of the PCIP helped the local government unit in packaging other projects.

“It is the first time for the province of Quirino to make a PCIP. It is also the first time for us to meet tools such as the Expanded Vulnerability and Suitability Assessment (e-VSA),” said Engr. Pagbilao.

According to Engr. Pagbilao, the trainings and capacity buildings conducted under the Project were a huge help for their province.

“It enabled us to establish a closer working relationship within the office. Our experience in making proposals for PRDP helped us in improving our technical capacity. In fact, we have applied our learnings here in packaging other projects. The expertise we obtained from PRDP is now being applied to other government projects,” he added.

Better linkages with improved infra and enterprise support

Establishment of improved access to strategic and climate-resilient infrastructures is the main goal of the I-BUILD component. Under this component, Luzon A was able to identify 117 approved subprojects. Three farm-to-market roads are now completed – two in the province of Isabela and one in Quirino. One solar dryer was also constructed in Ilocos Norte.

From P4.21 billion last October, the cluster now has P4.81 billion worth of approved subprojects.

Among the benefits that locals testified were reduction in hauling costs and travel time, increase in the number of vegetable farmers, increase in income and more.

Under the Project’s enterprise component or I-REAP, a 60% increase was recorded in the portfolio from the last mission – an increase from P515.53 million to P824.70 million worth of subprojects.

A total of 274 enterprise proposals were approved that will benefit about 50,283 proponent members.

“There are a total of 17 completed enterprise subprojects, nationwide. 16 of these are from North Luzon cluster,” said Dir. Abaya.

Nine of these completed subprojects from Luzon A are Palay Production Enterprises with Emphasis on Land Preparation in Isabela, and one from Cagayan. There are also five Farm Mechanization Service Facility in Pangasinan and one in Ilocos Sur.

The I-REAP is designed to increase productivity and marketability of agriculture and fishery products through increased access to information and support services and increase farm and fishery household incomes through engagement in value-adding activities.

The PRDP is a World Bank-funded project designed to establish the government platform for a modern, climate-smart and market-oriented agri-fishery sector.  It partners with the Local Government Units and the private sector in providing key infrastructure, facilities, technology, and information that will raise incomes, productivity, and competitiveness in the countryside. (Kayla Arceo, DA-PRDP North Luzon InfoACE)