To gather updates and quantify the investments of government agencies for the priority commodities of Catanduanes, the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) conducted an interagency convergence meeting on October 19, 2022 in the municipality of Virac. Among the priority commodities on the island are abaca, mangrove crab, native chicken, and swine.

Representatives of different government agencies including the DA Catanduanes Hilly Upland Development Station (CHUDS), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) attended the meeting. Other stakeholders including officials and staff of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC), Catanduanes State University (CSU), Provincial Veterinary Service (PVS), Provincial Fisheries Office (PFO) and Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPag), local government unit, non-government organizations and civil society organizations also participated in the activity. 

The interagency convergence meeting focused on consolidating and reporting non-PRDP investments by value chain enablers and funding institutions to boost the province’s priority commodities. 

According to RPCO Bicol Local and National Levels Planning (I-PLAN) component head Aloha Gigi, each agency’s contribution is essential in implementing the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) of Catanduanes. She added that as of September 30, 2022, Bicol ranked 2nd in terms of non-PRDP leveraged resources nationwide. 

“One of the performance indicators na tinitingnan po ng World Bank Mission, kung ano naman po ang nagawa natin sa I-PLAN component ay ‘yung mga investment ng mga partners natin not only ng DA, sa LGUs, including mga FCAs—farmers’ cooperatives associations including non-government organizations etcetera kasi di po ba VCA, from value chain analysis, pumasok tayo sa Provincial Commodity Investment Plan, a three-year rolling plan na kung saan nakasaad anong mga intervention ang kinakailangan ng industry para po ito ay umusad or lalong ma-develop or lalong makatulong sa ating mga farmers and fisherfolk,” Bañaria said. 

Meanwhile, Catanduanes Provincial Agriculturist Nelia Teves thanked the provincial local government unit’s partner agencies for promoting agricultural development in the province saying, “kung dae ini nangyari dae ta naalaman su ibang mga accomplishments, mga contributions kang different agencies.” 

PRDP I-PLAN reports show that by the end of the third quarter of 2022, value chain enablers in Catanduanes contributed PhP857.29 million to the PhP8.14 billion worth of non-PRDP investments for the province’s priority commodities. DA accounted for PhP663.45 million worth of investments, DSWD shared PhP45.65 million, while the Office of the President provided PhP40.57 million. The Department of Finance invested PhP26.68 million, DENR shared PhP25.95 million worth of investments, while the Provincial Government funded PhP21.87 million worth of projects. Moreover, DTI contributed PhP14.90 million worth of investments, DOST provided PhP13 million worth of projects and DAR accounted for PhP5.19 million worth of investments. 

As of October 2022, programs, projects, and activities in support of the provincial priority commodities include the PhilFIDA’s Abaca Disease Management Program and abaca planting materials production and distribution, marketing initiatives and trade fairs conducted by DTI, and provision of seed capital fund to abaca farmers and abaca twine makers from DSWD.

The PRDP-Bicol I-PLAN team is currently conducting data consolidation and encoding in partnership with the Provincial Project Management and Implementation Unit (PPMIU) to update the report on PCIP resource leveraging.  (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA RAFIS V/PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit) 

DA PRDP-Bicol I-PLAN component head Aloha Gigi I. Bañaria acknowledges the contributions of government agencies, FCAs, and other stakeholders in Catanduanes to boost the province’s priority commodities during the interagency convergence meeting held on October 19, 2022 in Virac, Catanduanes.

Provincial Agriculturist Nelia B. Teves thanks the provincial local government unit’s partner agencies in promoting agricultural development in Catanduanes during the interagency convergence meeting held on October 19, 2022 in Virac, Catanduanes.

Representatives of different government agencies, local government unit, non-government organizations and civil society organizations present updates about their respective investments in support to the priority commodities of Catanduanes namely abaca, mangrove crab, native chicken and swine during the interagency convergence meeting held on October 19, 2022 in Virac, Catanduanes.