Members of the Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) – Cordillera unanimously approved and correspondingly endorsed three enterprise subprojects amounting to P21.14 million for Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) fund support.

Chaired by DA RFO-CAR OIC Regional Executive Director Cameron P. Odsey, the RPAB is composed of regional directors from different government agencies which provides guidance, reviews, and approves subprojects for funding under the PRDP.

The approved subprojects were the Banana (Cardava) Production, Consolidation and Marketing of Conner, Apayao worth P9.67 million proposed by Calaoan Agrarain Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative; the Heirloom Rice Processing and Marketing worth P9.16 million proposed by Anabel-Sadanga Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Sadanga, Mt. Province; and the Ubi Production and Marketing Enterprise worth P2.31 million proposed by Beckes Bulala Talete Ube Farmers Association in Sablan, Benguet.

Prior to the approval of the above subprojects, Jocelyn Beray, head of the PRDP I-REAP (Enterprise Development) component assured that the business plans of the enterprises underwent thorough review by the consultants from the Project Support Office (PSO) Luzon A and the Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) – CAR through a joint technical review.

“Technical reviews are conducted before presentation to the RPAB where the PSO and the RPCO jointly go over the content especially the technical analyses of data incorporated in the business plans,” she said.

In line with the constraints identified in the value chain analyses of banana (cardava), ubi, and aromatic/pigmented rice, these subprojects are more likely to contribute to the development of these commodities in the locality.

Meanwhile, RED Odsey challenged not only the RPCO but also the Provincial and Municipal Project Management and Implementing Units (P/MPMIUs) to facilitate the implementation of ongoing subprojects so that the region’s disbursement will improve.

As part of the implementation process of the PRDP, these subprojects will be transmitted to the Project’s PSO for evaluation and issuance of No Objection Letter 1 (NOL 1) which will then signal the LGUs to proceed with procurement process.

To date, the region has a total of 50 approved enterprise development (I-REAP) subprojects amounting to P137.33 million. Among these subprojects, 21 are already completed, 20 are under implementation, and nine are still under procurement. Before the year ends, the recently endorsed subprojects are expected to be issued with NOL 1 before the year ends. ### ELVY S. TAQUIO (DA PRDP RPCO-CAR InfoACE Unit)