The I-PLAN Component of the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) MIMAROPA conducted a stakeholders’ consultation and writing workshop for the updating of the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) for swine and seaweed, from June 15-17, 2021.

The Stakeholder Consultation and Writing Workshop was attended by stakeholders with influence over the value chain of the swine and seaweed industry. Among the participants are representatives from the Provincial Veterinary Office and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, along with the Municipal Agricultural Officers of each municipality, producers, traders, assemblers, retailers, and wholesalers.

The three-day activity was headed by I-PLAN Component Head Nex Basi, DPA, together with Planning Officer II Timoteo Borromeo, Jr., and Planning Officer Faith Janica Manalo.

PCIP is used by the DA-PRDP as a plan that rationalizes interventions in the commodity value chains and as a basis for identifying necessary infrastructure and enterprise development subprojects. The activity specifically aimed to focus on identifying new infrastructure and enterprise investments for the next round of additional funding.

“Ito pong Provincial Commodity Investment Plan ay napakalalaki ang tulong na nagagawa para dun sa mga government agencies or offices, national man po o kaya ‘yung local. Ito ay nagsisilbing gabay o basis and reference to identify appropriate project intervention para sa mga munisipyo at mga barangay na makakatulong naman sa agricultural and fishery development ng isang area o isang lugar,” Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in Occidental Mindoro OIC Elmer Velacruz said.

(The Provincial Commodity Investment Plan is a great help to the planners of government agencies, whether it be national or local. This serves as a guide and reference for the municipalities and barangays to identify appropriate project interventions which in turn, will help the agricultural and fisheries development in an area)

Nelia Oreiro, Municipal Agriculture Officer of Calintaan, shared how effective stakeholder consultation is in the crafting and updating of the PCIP of their province.

“Sa aking tingin, yung effectivity ng every program natin ay kino-consider lagi ang sitwasyon sa baba at kung ano ang mga acceptable sa mga beneficiary,” Oreiro said.

At the end of the activity, the I-PLAN component was able to come up with a matrix intervention for the swine and seaweed industry, along with an updated PCIP for the province of Occidental Mindoro. (Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Timoteo Borromeo, Jr., Planning Officer II, facilitates the workshop by helping participants identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the swine and seaweed industry in the province of Occidental Mindoro. (Photo by Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Richard Ochavez, Municipal Agricultural Officer of Magsaysay, shares his inputs for the workshop. (Photo by Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)