The Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) of Palawan for its three major commodities was enhanced through the collaborative efforts of the technical staff of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), Provincial Government, and concerned government agencies. The activity was held at Puerto Princesa City and spearheaded by the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO).

The whole island province contributes to the production of its priority commodities namely, cashew, seaweeds, and banana saba. In particular, the Municipality of Roxas is the biggest producer of cashew; Agutaya of seaweeds; and Taytay of banana saba.

The said activity made room for the inclusion of biodiversity conservation activities and coastal and fisheries management practices which were not supported by the existing investment plans of the province.

Green grouper, locally known as “lapu lapu”, and mangrove crab, for instance, are commodities which are abundant in Palawan. These commodities, according to the PRDP PSO I-PLAN Component Head Jo Libarnes, should be supported by the key findings of the rapid market appraisal (RMA). This will help ensure enterprise’s technical feasibility drives opportunities for market expansion.

The PRDP, given its development objective of achieving climate resiliency, recognizes the importance of conserving natural resources. Through the inclusion of biodiversity conservation activities in enhanced PCIP, the illegal fishing practices with the use of dynamite, cyanide, and other harmful chemicals will be significantly reduced if not totally eliminated.

According to Cristito Omapas, EnP of the Palawan PPDO who is in charge of the PCIP enhancement, what they want to achieve is sustainability of the projects that will be implemented by the province in the future. The situation of the surrounding environment, particularly the marine resources, needs to be preserved at its best because it will determine the sustainability of the said projects.

With the participation of other government agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the prevailing issues of the industries of green grouper and mangrove crab were identified and included in the PCIP and were given appropriate interventions.

The PCIP, as a scientific tool, provides government agencies as well as local government units a strategic plan in funding the most eligible interventions which will contribute the most to the agriculture and fishery sectors of the country.

Such interventions aim to improve productivity and eventually increase the income of the rural communities who are engaged in agriculture and fishery.  ### (Leira Vic Colongon, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Technical staff from the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) and representatives from the Provincial Government and concerned government agencies pose after the PCIP enhancement activity in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. (Photo by Paulo Emmanuel Ajose, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)