With five ongoing subprojects and more than 1,000 individual beneficiaries, Marinduque is the third province to have the most number of enterprise development interventions under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) in the MIMAROPA Region.

In an activity last July 22 – 26, the PRDP’s South Luzon cluster office with the MIMAROPA regional technical team conducted a consultation with the recipients of the enterprises to tackle issues particularly on the processing and submission of lacking documents and the acquisition of their value adding machineries, given that all of the subproject’s status is still under procurement.

The Province of Marinduque is the location of three enterprises supporting its coconut industry, one of which is its flagship “Marinduque Coco Geonet Production and Trading” of the Tanikala ng Pagkakaisa Multi-Purpose Cooperative worth P4.56 million with a provision for infrastructure amounting to P2.20 million.

The other two enterprises are the “Nangka Coco Coir Processing” of the Nangka CARP Beneficiaries Multipurpose Cooperative and “Butansapa Coco Coir Processing” of the Butansapa Beneficiaries Multipurpose Cooperative. Each costs P1.33 and 1.32 million respectively and will concentrate their business on coco coir, coco fiber twines, and coco peat production only.

During the consultation with the member-beneficiaries of Tanikala, issues on the necessary repairs of the warehouse for geonet production and housekeeping matters were brought up. According to the PRDP management, this will be addressed by the contractor at the soonest possible time through coordination with the proponent group and Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU) of Marinduque.

The Nangka and Butansapa groups, meanwhile, have agreed to facilitate the further improvement of their office with proper amenities and storage room which will serve as a warehouse for their finished products for marketing. Upon the recommendation from the PRDP’s team of consultants, they will also be installing a perimeter fence where they will keep their equipment.

Also located in Marinduque are two investments for arrowroot which is another of its priority commodity. The P1.34 million-worth “Malbog Arrowroot Production and Marketing” of the Malbog Multipurpose Farmers’ Cooperative is an answer to the problem of small arrowroot farmers on underproduction of arrowroot and arrowroot flour.

The other one is the “Arrowroot Production and Processing” to be managed by the Bahi Agriculture and Fisheries Association, with an estimated cost of P8.44 million, which aims to upgrade its current flour and cookie production.

In addition to its promise to likewise facilitate the works of their office, storage room, and perimeter fence, the Malbog group have also agreed to expedite the improvement of its washing and processing areas as well as its wastewater treatment facility needed for their manufacturing process.

The Bahi enterprise, however, is still being scheduled for procurement upon the release of its funds.

As discussed throughout the various meetings, when these projects become operational, there will be a form of collaboration between each group for them to be able to maximize their productivity.

The Nangka and Butansapa groups, for instance, will be listed as suppliers of coco coir to the Tanikala enterprise to add in its production of geonet. In a similar manner, the Malbog enterprise will be selling flour to the Bahi group for its cookie production.

Each group is hopeful that they will be able to start their operations before the end of this year or even earlier.

At this point, the PRDP management emphasized the need for the Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU) of Marinduque to fully assist in the accomplishment of the said arrangements following the timeline that they agreed upon.

The PPMIU of Marinduque is currently headed by Governor Presbitero Velasco Jr., the newly-elected local chief executive, who was just recently oriented about the PRDP. Also included in the orientation are the new members of the Bids and Awards Committee which, hand in hand with the proponent group and PRDP management, will play a big role in the completion of Marinduque’s enterprises and the achievement of its goal of helping its beneficiaries. ### (Leira Vic Colongon, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Members of the Nangka CARP Beneficiaries Multipurpose Cooperative who proposed the “Nangka Coco Coir Processing” enterprise worth P1.33 million meets with the PRDP consultants of the South Luzon cluster and MIMAROPA regional office in the subproject site in the Municipality of Torrijos. (Photo by Ana Francesca Chavez)

Members of the Bahi Agriculture and Fisheries Association with the P8.44 million worth “Arrowroot Production and Processing” enterprise gathers during the consultation conducted by the PRDP South Luzon Project Support Office and MIMAROPA Regional Project Coordination Office. (Photo by Leira Vic Colongon)

South Luzon Project Support Office Deputy Project Director Shandy Hubilla leads the meeting and discussion with the members of the Butansapa Beneficiaries Multipurpose Cooperative who proposed the P1.32 million-worth “Butansapa Coco Coir Processing” enterprise. (Photo by Ana Francesca Chavez)