Many farmers in the Cordillera provinces have benefited from the completion of agricultural infrastructure and enterprise subprojects, which have improved their production, transportation, and market systems.

In CAR, the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) has poured in a total of PhP2.73 billion, with 103 completed infrastructure and enterprise subprojects as of December 31, 2023.

The DA-PRDP has been instrumental in the construction and rehabilitation of 48 infrastructure subprojects throughout the Cordillera provinces via its infrastructure development component, or I-BUILD. This constitutes 12 farm-to-market roads (FMRs); one FMR with bridge; seven potable water systems (level 2); nine communal irrigation systems; and 19 other infrastructures (warehouses and tramlines). 

In terms of enterprise development, or I-REAP, the DA-PRDP was able to complete 55 enterprise subprojects with a total cost of PhP170 million, benefitting 74 proponent groups or farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs).

Along with the subprojects that have already been completed, four infrastructure subprojects worth PhP461 million and one enterprise subproject worth PhP13.9 million are still ongoing and should be completed this year. 

Meanwhile, under the planning component, or I-PLAN, nine approved cluster and region-wide value chain analyses (VCAs) were crafted and updated, which resulted in six commodity investment plans (CIPs) used by local government units (LGUs) for the leveraging of their resources. These have resulted in PhP11.5 billion worth of investments generated throughout the Cordillera in both PRDP and non-PRDP-funded projects to date.

As the PRDP shifts to the implementation of the PRDP Scale-Up, subproject appraisal and validation activities are continuously being held to ensure the feasibility of proposed subprojects. 

One infrastructure subproject in Ifugao has already qualified for PRDP Scale-Up funding and another one was recently endorsed by the Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) for approval. Several LGUs have also expressed their intent to participate in the PRDP Scale-Up with their submission of subproject proposals that are now under review.  

Along with the ongoing subprojects, the PRDP Scale-Up is also set to usher in more development interventions to rural communities, opening more opportunities to serve Cordillera farmers and fishers.// Elvy T. Estacio (RPCO-CAR Writer)