The Department of Agriculture Philippine Rural Development Project (DA PRDP) Planning at the Local and National Levels (I-PLAN) Bicol recognized its top-performing provincial partners and inter-agency convergence supporters during the Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) V Provincial Project Management and Implementation Unit (PPMIU) I-PLAN 2023 Year-End Assessment and 2024 Strategic Planning.

DA PRDP I-PLAN Bicol Head Aloha Gigi Bañaria led the awarding ceremonies held in Naga City on December 5, 2023.  

PPMIU I-PLAN Camarines Sur and CPMIU I-PLAN Naga City received the Service Award. PPMIU I-PLAN Camarines Norte was recognized for having the Most Number of PDC Endorsed Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIPs), PPMIU I-PLAN Masbate was awarded as the Top Module Encoder, and PPMIU I-PLAN Catanduanes received the Comprehensive CIP Distinction award. 

Meanwhile, Engr. Francisco Sallena Jr. was recognized as Commendable I-PLAN Component Head while Teodoro Licarte was awarded as Exemplary I-PLAN Component Head. In addition, Ar. Darwin Pavia Jr.  and Engr. Kenth Reynard Muñoz, Marjorie Naje, and Ar. Diana Beltran received the Rookie Planner of the Year Award. 

The Exemplary Performance for 2023 by a Component Team was awarded to the PPMIU I-PLAN Camarines Norte while the Exemplary Performance for 2022 by a Component Team, was given to PPMIU I-PLAN Catanduanes. 

DA PRDP Bicol I-PLAN also recognized its interagency convergence supporters including the Philippine Fiber Development Authority for being the RPCO V I-PLAN Commodity Colleague of the Year, Department of Trade and Industry as RPCO V I-PLAN VCA Enabler of the Year, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources as RPCO V I-PLAN New VCA Partner. 

In her message, Bañaria thanked the PRDP Bicol I-PLAN’s provincial counterparts for their dedicated efforts and noteworthy support towards the attainment of the component’s objectives and targets. She also acknowledged the members of the interagency convergence for their technical assistance, support and collaboration. Moreover, she announced that PRDP Bicol I-PLAN bagged the Highest No. of PCIP Updated in 2023 and Highest Interagency Convergence and Non-PRDP Uptake Facilitation during the South Luzon Year-End Assessment held in Batangas on December 5. 

“Hindi po natin maa-achieve ang mga ganitong kaganapan kung wala po ang strong support ng lahat ng mga kasamahan natin ngayon,” she said.

She mentioned that as of December 5, 2023, PRDP Bicol I-PLAN has updated 17 P/CCIPs for the four provinces and one city in the region. It also reported about P20.33 million-worth of leveraged resources from other government agencies and private institutions. 

The PRDP Bicol and provincial I-PLAN team also presented their VCA and PCIP status and updates, salient accomplishments, best practices, challenges encountered and targets for 2024 as part of the year-end assessment and strategic planning. Among the PRDP Bicol I-PLAN team’s targets for 2024 are the submission of the regional VCA for milkfish, regional VCA for rice and industry-oriented VCA for milled rice, VCA for white corn for Camarines Norte and Masbate, and VCA for yellow corn for Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Masbate and Albay. The team also eyes the updating of the Inter-agency Convergence Memorandum of Understanding, and CIP benchmarking outside the region. 

Present during the I-PLAN 2023 year-end assessment and 2024 strategic planning are the officials and members of the PRDP Bicol I-PLAN team and their PPMIU counterparts. BFAR Regional Director Ariel Pioquinto, DTI Camarines Sur Provincial Director Jay Percival Ablan, (PhilFIDA) Planning Officer Leo Andrew Bordeos and BFAR Planning Officer Ruben Peyra, Jr. graced the occasion. # (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA RAFIS V/PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)