August 10, 2015

An inclusive, market-oriented, and climate-resilient agri-fishery sector is a vision gradually being translated into actions in Bicol as the Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) of the Department of Agriculture Philippine Rural Development Project (DA PRDP) Regional Project Coordination Office V (RPCO V) approved 10 infrastructure development and agro-industrial enterprise development sub-projects (SPs) in the region.

On its 7^th meeting held at Hotel Venezia in Legazpi City on July 31, 2015, the RPAB, an inter-agency and multi-disciplinary team that reviews and approves proposals for PRDP funding, endorsed the second batch of 2015 PRDP SPs to the PRDP Project Support Office South Luzon through resolutions.

The RPAB approved seven infrastructure development SPs with a total value of P894,467,130.5 in the Province of Camarines Norte, Province of Sorsogon, Province of Albay, Legazpi City, Virac, Catanduanes, and Municipality of Placer and Esperanza in Masbate. This is the first RPAB meeting participated in by Municipality and City Project Management and Implementation Units (M/CPMIUs) as PRDP now accepts proposals from municipal local government units (MLGUs) that are interested to participate in the project implementation.

Also approved were three agro-industrial enterprise development SPs such as the P22,345,000-worth Camarines Norte Pineapple Trading and Processing Project, Camarines Sur’s P7,732,961.57-worth Coco Sap Sugar Manufacturing Enterprise, and Catanduanes’ P24,773,220-worth Abaca Fiber Processing and Trading Enterprise. These agro-industrial enterprises are projected to benefit a total of 13,559 farmers, rural women, and cooperative members in their respective communities.

In addition, the RPAB approved the variation orders for 2014 SPs with No Objection Letter 2 namely the Upgrading of Cuco-Bagong Silang Farm-to-Market Road in Pasacao, Rehabilitation of San Isidro –Pag Oring Nuevo Farm-to-Market Road in Libmanan, Camarines Sur as well as the Rehabilitation/Improvement of Pistola-Tablon Road With 3 Units Bridges in Oas, Albay.

In his message, DA Undersecretary for Policy, Planning, Research and Regulation Segfredo R. Serrano, told the participants that the PRDP is a model of DA’s institutionalization of planning protocols in which clients and beneficiaries are given ownership of the projects through consultations.

“Ang mga sub-projects ay pagbibigay-buhay sa partnership ng national agency with LGUs through localized and intimate planning sa taongbayan–ang tunay nating kliyente,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Ian Peter S. Sepulveda of the Municipality of Esperanza, Masbate, whose P91,007,831.62-worth infrastructure development sub-project was approved by the RPAB, said that his people is eternally grateful to the PRDP for the concrete solution to rural poverty in his municipality.

An Orientation on PRDP for Municipality and City Local Government Units was conducted by the PRDP RPCO V on August 7, 2015 at the DA Regional Field Office V in San Agustin Pili, Camarines Sur to appraise other LGUs that expressed their intent to join the Project.

The 7^th RPAB meeting was the first assembly of the official RPAB chaired by the DA Regional Executive Director and composed of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) as mandated in the PRDP National Advisory Board Resolution No. 1, series of 2015 issued on May 4, 2015. (Annielyn L. Baleza, I-SUPPORT InfoACE Unit, DA-RAFIS 5)