The Bicol Economic Development Committee (EDC) endorsed the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Scale-Up to the Regional Development Council (RDC) for inclusion in the Regional Development Investment Program 2023 to 2028 on February 28, 2022.

In a Special EDC Meeting held via Zoom, PRDP Scale-Up was subsequently endorsed to the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) for approval. During the said meeting, DA-PRDP Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) Bicol Deputy Project Director Adelina Losa presented the overview of the project and its progress of implementation from the Original Loan to the Additional Financing 2. Losa also discussed the PRDP Scale-Up including its background, project development objectives, target beneficiaries, components, project duration and financial requirements and regional pipeline both for infrastructure (I-BUILD) and enterprise (I-REAP). 

Armylene Posada of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Project Development, Investment Programming, and Budgeting Division, stated that based from her evaluation, the $818.4 million-worth PRDP Scale-Up is aligned with the 2023 to 2028 Regional Development Plan, particularly on the modernization of agriculture and agribusiness and expansion and upgrading of infrastructure. She added that the Project will also support three Sustainable Development Goals, namely, SDG 2: Food Security, Improved Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. Thus, the Committee passed two resolutions endorsing PRDP Scale-Up subject to the compliance of the EDC’s findings and recommendations. 

Bicol EDC Chairperson and Private Sector Representative (PSR) Romeo Tan of the business sector presided the Special EDC Meeting. Also present were Bicol EDC Co Chairperson and Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Regional Manager Mateo Zipagan, EDC Vice Chairperson and NEDA Regional Director Luis Banua. EDC Members from the DA, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA), National Food Authority (NFA), and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) joined the virtual meeting. Also in attendance were PSRs of the farmers, fishers and tourism sectors as well as representatives from Sorsogon, Masbate, Camarines Norte and Albay. 

The Bicol EDC is the committee that provides information and recommendations on regional development matters in the region. DA Bicol Regional Executive Director Rodel Tornilla who concurrently serves as the DA-PRDP RPCO Bicol Project Director will present the PRDP Scale-Up to the Regional Development Council (RDC) for endorsement on March 9, 2022. 

PRDP Scale-Up is one of the flagship programs of the DA designed to address the gaps in the commodity value chains. The World Bank-assisted project aims to contribute to the agri-fishery sector’s development by upgrading the farmers and fisherfolk’s access to markets and increasing income from selected agri-fishery value chains. By improving the efficiency of the food supply chain towards greater connectivity, mobility, accessibility, availability, and affordability of food in the market, it targets to benefit local government units, proponent groups, relevant national government agencies, DA attached agencies and bureaus and the private sector. The project covers all 16 regions nationwide including Bicol and is targeted for implementation from 2023 to 2029. (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA RAFIS V/PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit with reports from Aguinaldo C. Francisco Jr., PRDP RPCO V M&E Unit)

DA-PRDP RPCO Bicol Deputy Project Director Adelina Losa presents the overview of the PRDP Scale-Up to the Bicol Economic Development Committee (EDC) on February 28, 2023.

Organic and hired staff of the DA-PRDP RPCO Bicol attend the Special Economic Development Committee (EDC) Meeting held via Zoom on February 28, 2023.