The Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Central Luzon, led by the infrastructure development component, I-BUILD, facilitated the Operations and Maintenance ()&M) of I-BUILD subprojects and I-REAP civil works training on July 26-28, 2023, in Angeles City, Pampanga.

Implementing partners from the local government units and farmer cooperatives and associations participated in the said training. They are given the responsibility to develop and implement the O&M of DA-PRDP subprojects which includes the fund allotment thereto which needs to be approved by the project prior to subproject approval.

DA-PRDP North Luzon Cluster I-BUILD Component Head Engr. Ernesto Pitok and Rural Infrastructure Engineer Shiedel Delicano trained the participants on the guidelines in creating the O&M plan.

DA-PRPD Central Luzon I- BUILD Component Head, Engr. Elmer Tubig stressed the importance of the training for the proper maintenance of PRDP infrastructures. “A vital part in the implementation of PRDP subprojects is the O&M to sustain its operations. We aim to train you how to rightfully operate our subprojects,” Tubig said.

DA-PRDP Central Luzon Project Director Dr. Arthur Dayrit encouraged the participants to devotedly implement the O&M plan for the sustainability of agricultural infrastructures under the project.

“We have to maximize our resources our manpower to make sure that projects will run a long way and more generations will be able to benefit from the projects given to our FCAs and LGUs. We encourage everyone to share our learnings to our colleagues so they can learn as well from our training,” urged Dayrit. ### (Ram Bill Bautista, RPCO3 InfoACE)