The Provincial Commodity Investment Plans (PCIPs) for Albay’s coco geonets and sweet potato show that the province needs at least P1.76 billion to boost its top commodities.

To achieve the goal of the Philippine Rural Development Project to increase incomes, productivity, and competitiveness in targeted areas, the Project established the interagency convergence for the PCIP implementation. On October 13, Albay Governor Al Francis Bichara and PRDP Bicol local and national level planning (I-PLAN) Component Head Aloha Gigi Bañaria led the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the interagency convergence in Legazpi City.

The convergence will harmonize and mainstream the development efforts of key national government agencies, government financing institutions, the academe, and the agriculture and fishery council to boost the coco geonet and sweet potato industries in Albay. The identified interventions include the establishment of collection centers and shared service facilities for husk gathering, construction of farm-to-market roads (FMRs), establishment of nurseries, and conduct of skills training.

Among the government agencies represented during the MOU signing were the Philippine Coconut Authority, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Agrarian Reform, the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Department of Labor and Employment, Agricultural Training Institute, and the Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council.

According to Bañaria, the MOU signing signifies the commitment of other agencies to support the different segments of the value chain in addition to the PRDP interventions.

PRDP Bicol local and national level planning (I-PLAN) Component Head Aloha Gigi Bañaria discusses the status of the PRDP-funded subprojects in Albay during the Interagency Convergence MOU Signing for the PCIP of Albay on October 13 in Legazpi City. (Photo by Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP Bicol RPCO InfoACE Unit)

As of September 30, the Province of Albay has three approved PRDP enterprise development (I-REAP) subprojects and two infrastructure development (I-BUILD) subprojects. The Albay Coco Geonets Manufacturing Enterprise in Libon, Albay worth P4.63 million has accomplished 53.47 percent progress in terms of delivery of goods. Also, the P9.60 million-worth Sweet Potato-based Products Processing, and the P997,000-worth Enhancing Farm Capacity and Adoption of Nutrition Technology for Goat Production in Legazpi City have already received the No Objection Letter or the Notice to Procure.

Meanwhile, the concreting of the 22-kilometer Pistola–Tablon FMR in Oas, Albay worth P196.12 million already has 87.89 percent accomplishment. Recently, the Regional Project Advisory Board approved the P238.68 million-worth Rehabilitation and Improvement of the Quinastillojan–Rawis FMR and Wharf Projects in San Miguel Island, Tabaco City.

Bichara said that investing in the province’s agri-fishery sector will encourage the Albayano farmers to plant more and develop value-added products knowing that there is good price for their produce. In addition to the coco geonets and sweet potato, the province also eyes investing in the abaca, pili, and dairy cattle industries.

The interagency convergence MOU signing institutionalizes the harmonization and mainstreaming of key national government agencies, government financing institutions, the academe, and the agriculture and fishery council’s development efforts to boost the coco geonet and sweet potato industries in Albay. (Photo by Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP Bicol RPCO InfoACE Unit)

The PCIP is a three-year value chain-based consensus plan between the Department of Agriculture and Albay. Through the interagency convergence, the PRDP aims to achieve synergy and institutional efficiency in expanding opportunities for the coco geonet and sweet potato industries of the province. It is also aligned with the government’s renewed focus on addressing the gaps of the agricultural and fishery value chain.

A similar interagency convergence MOU signing activity was held in Catanduanes on May 23 and in Sorsogon on October 20. To institutionalize support for the PCIPs in the region, the PRDP Bicol I-PLAN component targets to conduct all MOU signing activities before the end of November 2017. ### (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP Bicol RPCO InfoACE Unit) 

The interagency convergence MOU signing institutionalizes the harmonization and mainstreaming of key national government agencies, government financing institutions, the academe, and the agriculture and fishery council’s development efforts to boost the coco geonet and sweet potato industries in Albay. (Photo by Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP Bicol RPCO InfoACE Unit)