The Cordillera has once again topped the fund sharing for the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) infrastructure subprojects as of January 31, 2019.

Of the P6.9 billion worth of approved infrastructure subprojects in the North Luzon Cluster, the Cordillera was able to have approved 51 subprojects worth P2.4 billion or 35% of the total fund share for the cluster. This was presented by Elma S. Mananes, Deputy Project Director of the PRDP Project Support Office – North Luzon Cluster, during the General Assembly held in Subic, Zambales on January 31, 2019.

“CAR has the highest share of 35% in the overall portfolio of the cluster followed by Region II (29%), Region III (22%), and Region I (14%),” said Mananes.

Breaking it down per province, the number of subprojects approved with its corresponding shares are as follows: Abra with four subprojects at 2.29% cost share, Apayao with eight subprojects (11.18%), Benguet with 11 subprojects (18.66%), Ifugao with 17 subprojects (22.80%), Kalinga with five subprojects (31.76%), and Mt. Province with six subprojects (13.31%).

To date, the region has seven completed infrastructure subprojects amounting to P163.1 million, 36 ongoing subprojects worth P1.77 billion, and eight subprojects under procurement (No Objection Letter 1 and 2) worth P498 million.

As the Cordillera maintains its rank as the top grosser for infrastructure subprojects in the cluster, the Regional Project Coordination Office – CAR and the other regions as well were directed to fast track the procurement of subprojects with NOLs and prioritize the review of subproject billing requests in order to improve the disbursement rate of the cluster.

“We have only accomplished less than 50% of our target for 2018 and we have to work together to improve our performance so that we can deliver the intended benefits of our subprojects to the recipients,” said Dir. Crispulo G. Bautista, PSO North Luzon Project Director.

Meanwhile, during the Cluster’s General Assembly, the region was recognized for having the highest number and cost of approved I-BUILD subprojects and for being the most efficient region in terms of subproject approval from enterprise prioritization to NOL1 issuance for 2018 in the North Luzon Cluster.

The Provincial Local Government of Kalinga was also recognized for having the highest cost of approved subprojects under I-BUILD; the most efficient LGU in completing the procurement process under I-BUILD for the subproject – Improvement of Bado Dangwa-Guilayon FMR; and for being the most efficient LGU in terms of subproject approval from enterprise prioritization to NOL1 issuance for 2018 (Banana (Cardava) Consolidation and Marketing). The Improvement of Bulanao – Amlao FMR and the Kalinga Coffee Trading Center were also recognized for being the best I-BUILD subprojects implemented in terms of physical progress, documentation, operations, maintenance, and Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) Compliance. # (ELVY S. TAQUIO, CARPCO InfoACE)