The League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Ilocos Sur Chapter expressed their eagerness to participate in the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) during its presentation on their monthly meeting on May 27 at Santa Catalina, Ilocos Sur.

Mayors from Santa, San Ildefonso, San Vicente, Sto. Domingo, Lidlidda, Sta. Lucia, Magsingal, Sta. Maria, Burgos, Del Pilar, and Sta. Catalina were present during the Project briefing. The group is currently chaired by Mayor Germelina Goulart of the Municipality of Caoayan.

Regional Project Coordination Office 1 (RPCO 1) Alternate Focal Person Sharon A. Viloria introduced the Project, its objectives, components and process flow to the mayors of Ilocos Sur. She briefly explained PRDP as a six-year national government platform for a value-chain-oriented, market-oriented and climate-resilient agriculture and fisheries sector to increase farmers’ income in subproject areas with a total fund of P27.4 billion.

But as the PRDP is anchored to the provincial government through the Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU), the mayors of Ilocos Sur inquired how they will participate in the project.

Under the Infrastructure development component of PRDP as of March 2015, Municipal Local Government Units (MLGUs) are allowed to enter into agreement with the Department of Agriculture (DA) for PRDP given they can comply with the Project eligibility criteria.

During the Project meeting, Ms. Viloria advised the MLGUs to coordinate with the Ilocos Sur PPMIU to scout possible Infrastructure and Enterprise development subprojects. The scouting by municipalities, she said, will help fast track subproject identification and proposal preparations.

As of May 2015, Ilocos Sur has one (1) infrastructure development subproject amounting to P66.4 million: the 6.1 km. Rehabilitation of Tubigay-Baracbac-Nagculluoban Farm to Market Road in Sinait, Ilocos Sur. The subproject was approved by the Regional Project Advisory Board 1 (RPAB1) last 28 January, 2015 and is now waiting for the No Objection Letter 1 (NOL 1) from the National Project Coordinating Office (NPCO). (Ilocos InfoACE)