June 17, 2016

The Philippine Rural Development Project-Bicol is at par with other regions in South Luzon in terms of mainstreaming the Provincial Commodity Investments Plans (PCIPs) with the provincial planning paradigm. This is the remark of PRDP South Luzon I-PLAN Component Head Rey B. Lara during the Joint Project Support Office-Regional Project Coordination Office-Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit Technical Review of PCIP held on June 14-17, 2016 in Naga City.

“Bicol was able to track investments funded by PRDP, DA and national government agencies,” Lara said. He also noted the innovations rolled-out by South Luzon’s I-PLAN team which include the mainstreaming of the PCIPs in the Provincial Physical Framework Plan (PPFP), Public Investment Program (PIP), and Philippine Development Plan (PDP) as well as the DA major banner programs. He added that the Project was able to establish operational synergies with other government agencies’ related programs and projects that support commodity value chain.

Camarines Norte, which was adjudged as Best PPMIU in the region, received P600,000-worth capability building support from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to boost the production and income of 24,177 coconut farmers. The province also obtained P1.1 million-worth marketing support from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to further capacitate the proponent groups. Moreover, about P1.7 million-worth investments was mainstreamed with the Department of Agriculture to support its VCA for coco geonet. The Best PPMIU award was given to provincial project partners that achieved a high level of investments and market linkage as well as served as an implementation model in terms of sectoral representation.

To operationalize the PCIP, PRDP-Bicol will transmit the updated and approved PCIPs to the provincial governor as well as national government agencies concerned for implementation and appropriate action. The Project will also  push for the inclusion of the PCIP targets which are within the menu of the  DA  banner programs in the Annual Investment Program (AIP) and  Regional Development Investment Program (RDIP).

Lara said that with the VCA and PCIP, the Project has the plan and the tool to operationalize. He underscored the value of convergence of agencies to support the industry and suggested the conduct of private investment forum to link farmers with potential markets. Lara stressed the need to establish a monitoring platform at the local level, to mainstream the PCIP with the AIP, and encouraged the development of a sectoral committee to focus on the status of the PCIP. Moreover, he proposed to involve the Regional Management Council (RMC) in the PCIP implementation.

Economic Development Specialist Yole A. Palmiano of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Office V lauded the PRDP for its science-based rural development initiatives.

“PRDP is a good entry for provinces to focus on the champion commodity. About 70 percent of families nationwide live in rural areas. Using the value chain analysis and PCIP, we could establish forward and backward linkages of the commodity,” she said. She added that rural development is based on developing the commodity into an enterprise then into an industry and PRDP is on the right track with its thrust and priority to alleviate poverty, generate jobs and increase farmers’ income.

Participants from regions IV-A (CALABARZON), IV-B (MIMAROPA), and local government units of Palawan, Puerto Princesa City and Cavite also attended the said PCIP technical review.

VCA and PCIP are science-based tools being used by PRDP in determining appropriate interventions in target project areas. PRDP is a six-year development project being implemented by the DA to establish an inclusive, market-oriented and climate-resilient agriculture and fishery sector. (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)

PRDP South Luzon Rey B. Lara underscores that it’s high time to implement the Provincial Commodity Investment Plans (PCIPs) during the Joint PSO-RPCO-PPMIU Technical Review of PCIP held on June 14-17, 2016 in Naga City.