Catanduanes Provincial Agriculturist Ace William Tria urged local government units (LGUs) in the island to seize agri-investment opportunities being offered by the Department of Agriculture (DA) under the Philippine Rural Development Project Scale-Up.

During the Investment Forum and DA PRDP Scale-Up Orientation to LGUs in the Province of Catanduanes held in Virac on February 2, 2024, Tria noted that DA PRDP Scale-Up’s rural infrastructure and enterprise subprojects can help boost the food sufficiency and address malnutrition issues in the province. 

“Mahirap pero posible. Magandang oportunidad po ito sa ating mga LGUs. Pagtulungan natin ito na may ma-establish hindi lang isa kundi mas marami pang projects,” he said to the Municipal Agriculturists (MAs) and Municipal Planning and Development Coordinators (MPDCs) from seven municipalities who attended the meeting. 

According to DA PRDP Bicol Deputy Project Director Adelina Losa, DA PRDP Scale Up is a flagship program of the DA designed to address the persistent challenges that beset the agri-fishery sector. It will be supported by a 600 million US dollars or about P33 billion worth-loan from the World Bank with counterpart funds from the national government worth P5.57 billion and LGUs and farmers fisherfolk cooperatives and associations (FCAs) amounting to P6.44 billion.    

“Kung madadangog nindo pag sinabing PRDP, kadakol ngaya kang requirements. Opo, because this is a loan. Gusto tang masigurado na ining loan na ini, mailaag ta sa tama,” she said.   

She encouraged the MLGUs to avail of the eligible rural infrastructure market linkage (I-BUILD) and enterprise development (I-REAP) subprojects for funding under the DA PRDP Scale-Up. For I-BUILD component, these include farm-to-market road (FMR), bridge, irrigation, potable water system (PWS), and other value chain rural infrastructures like abattoir, dressing plant, feeder ports, fish landing, and tramlines. Meanwhile, under the I-REAP component, eligible subprojects include seedling nurseries, breeding centers, crop, livestock, dairy and fish production enterprises, buying, consolidation and packaging centers, postharvest facilities, processing centers, and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-compliant food supply hub. 

These subprojects should be anchored on the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) of Catanduanes which identified abaca, mangrove crab, swine, native chicken and dairy cattle as priority commodities. DA PRDP Bicol is now accepting proposals from proponent LGUs and FCAs through a Letter of Intent addressed to DA Bicol and concurrently DA PRDP Bicol Project Director Rodel Tornilla and PRDP Bicol Deputy Project Director Adelina Losa. 

In her message, Provincial Project Management and Implementation Unit (PPMIU) Head Engr. Elsie Reyes thanked the DA PRDP for financing the agri-fishery investments in the province which now benefit not only the agriculture but also elevated the socio-economic sector in the island.

Under the PRDP Original Loan, Catanduanes has completed four I-REAP subprojects worth P17.87 million in 2019. These are: the P6.78 million-worth Mangrove Crab Production and Marketing Enterprise in Panganiban; the P500,000-worth Commercial Palay Production in Gigmoto; the P371,920-worth TAFFIA Broiler Production and Marketing in Pandan; and the P10.21 million-worth Abaca Fiber Processing and Trading Enterprise in Virac. 

The province also completed three I-BUILD subprojects with an aggregate amount worth P309.91 million with funding from the OL namely the P5.95 million-worth Construction of Main and Satellite Warehouse Building in Bato in 2019 and first additional financing namely the P126.98 million-worth Concreting of Junction Sabangan-Datag East FMR in Caramoran in 2021 and the P176.97 million-worth Concreting of Junction Ogbong to Mabini FMR in Viga in 2022.

Meanwhile, under the second additional financing approved in 2022, the province has one on-going I-BUILD subproject namely the P44 million-worth Construction of AA Slaughterhouse in Virac which had its groundbreaking ceremony on February 1, 2024. The P14.92 million-worth I-REAP subproject, ARDCI Catanduanes Swine Hub in Virac is also on-going with 45.36 percent accomplishment as of February 2024. 

Catanduanes ranked first in terms of stunting prevalence rate regionwide according to the National Nutrition Council’s (NNC) 2022 Operation Timbang (OPT) Plus, an annual malnutrition assessment among pre-schoolers aged zero to 59 months old or below five years old. (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit/DA RAFIS V)