The Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) is set to construct solar dryers in the Municipality of Adams in Ilocos Norte. Adams is one of the farthest municipalities of Ilocos Norte from its center. It takes approximately two hours of travel by land to reach the place from Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

The Isneg is an indigenous peoples group inhabiting the Municipality of Adams and will be one of the beneficiaries of the solar dryers to be constructed under PRDP. Tribal Chieftain Bernardo Tawali is among the attendees of the pre-bid conference of the Solar Dryers to be constructed in Sitios Maligligay, Mallaggao, and Sinidangan last December 23, 2016.

The solar dryer has an estimated project cost of Php 1,018,000 for Sinidangan; Php 1,405,000 for Maligligay; and Php 1,346,000 for Mallaggao.

According to Chieftain Tawali, the Isneg group in the Municipality is a mixture of Isneg and various indigenous groups in the Cordillera (i.e. Kankana-ey) and La Union. Previously, the Isnegs in Adams lived off kaingin (agum-umma) and hunting (ag-anep). At present, they own small parcels of land and grow commercial and native rice varieties.

Mr. Tawali expressed the community’s gratitude as beneficiaries of the solar dryers. The solar dryers to be constructed under the PRDP are the first of their kind in the municipality. He added that the construction of the solar dryers will be a perfect combination with their soon to be completed public market.

Last August 30, 2016, the National Project Coordination Office of the PRDP released the No Objection Letter 1 (NOL 1) for 12 stand-alone infrastructures in Region 1 including the three solar dryers in the Municipality of Adams. The Isnegs, as well as the Municipality of Adams, pray for a successful bidding of the solar dryers for the soonest completion of the subprojects. (Ilocos InfoACE)