As the president of the Rural Improvement Club of San Francisco, Bulusan in Sorsogon, Gloria España uses a digital cellular phone mainly for communication purposes.

“Call and text lang gamit ng cellphone ko (I only use my cellphone to call or text),” she chuckled. But after attending the Coaching Session on Applied Geotagging Technology (AGT) for the approved enterprise development (I-REAP) subprojects on February 14, in Sorsogon City, España now wants to have her own Android phone and apply her knowledge in geotagging technology in other RIC projects.

“Dati uso ang mga ghost projects, ngayon hindi na makakaligtas. Bukod sa PRDP, puwede pa itong magamit sa ibang projects (Ghost projects which used to be the trend before are now being exposed. Aside from PRDP, we can use it [geotagging] in other projects),” she said.

At the coaching session, PRDP National Project Coordination Office (NPCO) Geographic Information System (GIS) Data Specialist Engr. Arnel Tenorio shared that through AGT, PRDP develops the target beneficiaries’ sense of ownership and provides transparency measure for both the management and the clienteles. Representatives of the 10 proponent groups for the approved microenterprise subprojects in Sorsogon’s calamity-stricken areas attended the said activity.

The AGT is an innovative approach of using information and communications technology (ICT) and global positioning system (GPS) application that allows accurate visualization of subprojects.

PRDP NPCO Geographic Information System (GIS) Data Specialist Engr. Arnel Tenorio (standing, in green polo shirt) orients the participants about the importance of AGT in I-REAP subprojects during the Coaching Session on Applied Geotagging Technology (AGT) for the approved I-REAP subprojects held on February 14, 2017 in Sorsogon City. (Photo by Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)

Using the participatory mapping approach, Tenorio along with GIS Officer Stephen Mangupag, PRDP South Luzon Project Support Office (PSO) GIS Specialist Richard Balandra and PRDP Bicol GIS Officer Philbert Nebres put Google Earth placemarks or markers and geotagged photos of the subprojects including a digitized track of the nearest route from the local government office to the proposed subproject site, office location of the proponent group, and location of target major local markets. According to Tenorio, this is important because through geotagging, the proponent group can view and adjust the operational procedure of the enterprise at the early stage of business planning.

The challenge in geotagging I-REAP sub-projects however is that there is no “one size fits all” guidelines for the microenterprise subprojects unlike in infrastructure development (I-BUILD) subprojects like farm-to-market roads.

“Magkakaiba ang bawat business enterprise subproject ng I-REAP (Each I-REAP business enterprise subproject proposal is unique), but we still apply the same principle of transparency and governance,” Tenorio said.

Tenorio added that the coaching session is expected to fast track the preparation of the requirements in geotagging I-REAP subprojects and finalize the proponent groups’ AGT plan to support PRDP’s procurement process. He also underscored the need for team effort and the close coordination among the teams at the provincial, regional and cluster levels to guarantee the smooth implementation of I-REAP subprojects.

PRDP NPCO Geographic Information System (GIS) Data Specialist Engr. Arnel Tenorio presents the completed Google Earth placemarks for the microenterprise subprojects in Sorsogon. (Photo by Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)

AGT in I-REAP business enterprise subprojects is designed to show the location-based investment of enterprise from the proposal to implementation and monitoring stage of the Project. Using the innovative tool, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has reduced the challenges it experienced by including fraud, splitting of contracts, overlapping and duplication of subprojects, analysis of water systems in one location, and high cost of physical monitoring and security risk.

PRDP is a six year development project being implemented by DA to establish an inclusive, market-oriented and climate-resilient agri-fishery sector. The Project aims to achieve at least five percent increase in household incomes of farmers and fisherfolk beneficiaries, 7 percent increase in value of annual marketed outputs, 30 percent increase in incomes for targeted beneficiaries involved in enterprise development and 20 percent increase in number of farmers and fisherfolk with improved access to DA services. ### (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)