The inauguration of the 5.17 km farm to market road in San Jose, Nueva Ecija was successfully held yesterday, May 9, attended by Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) Regional Project Coordination Office 3 (RPCO3) heads and provincial officials of Nueva Ecija.

The San Juan-Villa Joson-Porais FMR is the first completed infrastructure subproject of PRDP in Central Luzon. The FMR will support the implementation of the Sikkap San Jose Ampalaya Enterprise, another PRDP subproject that will be managed by three proponent groups that have merged and formed a cooperative called SIKKAP.

The activity also marked the start of the construction of the ampalaya packing building, which will be used for the post-harvest production of SIKKAP.

RPCO3 Focal Person RTD Crispulo G. Bautista, along with the provincial officials led the inauguration and groundbreaking activity.

“As the beneficiaries of PRDP projects, I hope that you will take good care of these projects. The Department of Agriculture is always at your back to support you for you to become successful,” said RTD Bautista.

During the event, Provincial Agriculturist Serafin S. Santos talked about the hardship that they went through in order to get the approval of the FMR and ampalaya packing house.

“This FMR is the fruit of our hard work and determination in getting this project. I hope that the three cooperatives will enrich the project given to them by the PRDP. You should work together and be transparent to one another,” said Santos, who encouraged the three cooperatives to do their best in managing their business.

RTD Bautista said that May is the month of the farmers and fisher folks.

“This month is for us to recognize the hardship and effort of our farmers and fisher folk in our country,” said Bautista.

The completion of the FMR will result to reduced travel time from farms to markets in barangays San Juan, Villa Joson and Porais. It will also reduce input and output hauling cost and expand production areas of ampalaya.

Mayor Mario O. Salvador of San Jose City also graced the event and expressed his appreciation and gratefulness for the implementation of the project.

“It is true that the process in implementing PRDP subprojects takes time, but now we are reaping what we sow,” said Salvador.

Allan Benitez, Chairman of Simula ng Panibagong Bukas Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SIPBU MPC), spoke in behalf of all the beneficiaries whose living will soon be uplifted by PRDP.

“Rest assured that you will not regret choosing us to be the beneficiaries of these projects. We will develop these projects in a way that Nuevo Ecijanos can be proud of,” said Benitez. (Dianne Lapuz, DA-PRDP RPCO3 InfoACE)

Mayor Mario O. Salvador (fourth from left) leads the ribbon cutting of the 5.17 km San Juan-Villa Joson-Porais farm to market road (FMR) with RAFC Chaiman Hernandez and PA Santos.

(L-R) Former Board Member Joseph Cortiz, I-REAP Component Head William Valdez, Provincial Agriculturist Serafin Santos, RAFC Chairman Francisco Hernandez, RTD Crispulo Bautista, Jr, and Mayor Mario Salvador (1st from right) lead the awarding of farm inputs to KAPISOCO Chairman Joseph Eugenio (4th from right), SIPBU Chairman Allan Benitez (3rd from right) and, KABANGA Chairwoman Almira Almirol (2nd from right)