MAGSAYSAY, MIS. OR – Another IREAP facility will soon rise as the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project 10 holds a groundbreaking ceremony for the processing facility for the Coconut Sauce Processing and Marketing subproject (SP) on March 19, 2024 in Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental.

The said SP, funded under Additional Financing 2 and the European Union (AF2-EU), will include a processing facility and other interventions such as machinery, equipment, and a delivery vehicle totaling Php 23,511,962.42  will benefit the 243 members of the Mindulao Farmers Agrarian Reform Community Cooperative (MINFARCCO).

On behalf of Regional Executive Director, Carlene C. Collado, Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations, and SES Unit Head, Cora A. Dumayaca congratulated the cooperative for attaining such achievement.

“The sustainability of the project is our priority. We want to achieve at least 90% food sufficiency. No matter the project’s cost, if we choose to take care of what we receive, we can be successful,” said RTD Dumayaca.

She hopes for the success of the project to benefit the farmer-members of the cooperative.

“Let us look at the projected income for the next 2-3 years and focus on that goal,” Dir. Dumayaca added.

With PRDP’s interventions, the SP’s goal is to increase the farmer’s annual income from Php 79,515.20 to Php 199, 661.19 or 151% after the first year of operation; improve the recovery rate of coconut sap to coconut sauce conversion from 30% to 50%; and increase the number of farmer members.

Magsaysay Mayor, Charlie B. Buhisan, also graced the ceremony. In his message, he shared that he welcomes any business that will help the community rise from hardships.

“The people of Magsaysay are the most important to me. This facility will help our people to rise from adversity. I envision MINFARCCO to be the mother and model cooperative for Magsaysay because I have so much trust in them. Their coconut sauce is standard for export. I hope that we can sustain this project so we can maintain the livelihood of the members,” Mayor Buhisan said.

In a separate interview, Ediver Joy V. Buyan, MINFARCCO General Manager, expressed his gratitude to the stakeholders who helped realize the beginning of the subproject.

“We are grateful for our partner stakeholders, especially DA-PRDP because this will be the answer to improving the lives of our coconut farmers. Based on our experience, our farmers only earn Php15,000 per month without the interventions, but with PRDP, there is an assurance for them that there is a facility that will process their produce,” said Buyan.

He further shared that their projected income is to increase beyond Php 20,000 per month and he is looking forward to its sustainability.

The groundbreaking ceremony will mark the beginning of the construction of the civil works and is targeted to be completed by December 2024. ###