PILI, CAMARINES SUR – To measure the impact of the value chain analysis (VCA) on the Project’s development objectives, to determine the new challenges and constraints, and identify areas for commodity investments, the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) at the regional and national levels of I-PLAN and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Unit are preparing for an assessment of the VCA for abaca in Catanduanes.

In a meeting conducted virtually on August 17, 2020, South Luzon M & E Specialist Arvin San Juan discussed the value chain assessment framework consists of the VCA, the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP), funded interventions, implemented interventions and assessing outcomes to value chain upgrading.

The PRDP-Bicol Planning Specialist Mary Ann Cuya presented the highlights of the abaca VCA while PRDP-Bicol I-PLAN Component Head Aloha Gigi Bañaria and Provincial Project Management and Implementation Unit (PPMIU)-Catanduanes Planning Officer Ace William Tria shared the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) Matrix.

With the travel restrictions under the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) in Bicol, Bañaria suggested to tap the manpower at the PPMIU and the Research Outreach Station (ROS) in the province of Catanduanes to assist the PRDP staff in conducting household survey, focus group discussion, key informant interviews and collection of secondary data which will commence in September 2020. Results of the VCA assessment will be presented during the 11^th World Bank Implementation Support Mission in November 2020.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar is promoting the value chain approach of production, processing and marketing to reboot the country’s agri-fishery sector and elevate the efforts towards a food-secure Philippines with prosperous farmers and fisherfolk. Value chain approach is among the Agriculture Chief’s 8 Paradigms for Agriculture or the department’s major strategies to boost the agriculture sector.

Considered as the DA’s pride project for its impact in enhancing the agency’s work towards agriculture, the PRDP has been using value chain analysis (VCA) in determining areas and subprojects that are viable for investment through its I-PLAN component.

Issued with No Objection Letter (NOL) in September 15, 2014, the regional VCA for abaca served as basis in the approval and implementation of the 7-kilometer Concreting of Junction Sabangan-Datag East Farm to Market Road in Caramoran, Catanduanes which costs P127 million as well as the P19 million-worth Abaca Fiber Processing and Trading Enterprise of the Pinoy Lingap Damayan Cooperative (PLDC) in Virac, Catanduanes.

The FMR is a necessary infrastructure to support the enterprise, which is engaged in abaca fiber processing and trading as well as trading of bacbac or dried leafsheaths of abaca plant and abaca wastes.

The enterprise started its dry-run operation in January 2016 and is now fully operational serving over 3,500 abaca farmer-suppliers from all municipalities in the province.

The PLDC considered the I-REAP subproject as a catalyst in maintaining a high price of fiber in the province where local traders used to buy the fiber below the market value or price.

VCA is a science-based PRDP tool which provides a snapshot of the industry from “seed to shelf.” It puts emphasis on value-creation and rational distribution of benefits among the actors involved in the chain.

VCA results are being integrated in the PCIP, a three-year rolling consensus plan between the DA and the PLGU which serves as groundwork for eligible interventions or sub-projects within the segments of the value chain for possible PRDP funding.

Also present during the virtual meeting about the value chain assessment preparation for abaca were PSO South Luzon I-PLAN Component Head Jo Marie Libarnes, Planning Officer Alene Gregorio, PRDP-Bicol M & E Unit Head Maribel Bitao, M & E Officer Rhodelia Remot and Economist Rosslyn Deblois. (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-RAFIS V)

PRDP-Bicol I-PLAN Component Head Aloha Gigi Bañaria shares an overview of the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) Matrix of the Province of Catanduanes.

PRDP-Bicol I-PLAN Component Head Aloha Gigi Bañaria, PRDP-Bicol Planning Specialist Mary Ann Cuya, and PRDP-Bicol M & E Unit HeadMaribel Bitao participate in the virtual meeting for the I-PLAN Value Chain Assessment Preparation for Abaca

PRDP-Bicol Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Rhodelia Remot joins the virtual meeting for the I-PLAN Value Chain Assessment Preparation for Abaca

PPMIU-Catanduanes Planning Officer Ace William Tria presents the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) Matrix of the Province of Catanduanes.