Sarangani- The Department of Agriculture Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) in partnership with the Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU) Sarangani finally turned-over the multi-million abaca enterprise subproject (SP) to the United Maligang Farmers’ Multipurpose Cooperative (UMFMPC) and its cluster members.

More than 35.7-Million Pesos worth of interventions were received by the 400 farmer-members of the abaca cluster.

The awarding of the certificate of their project completion signals the full operation of their enterprise entitled Abaca Production, Processing and Marketing of High Quality Fiber Project.

Part of the interventions are the processing facilities and consolidation and delivery trucks.

Abaca Warehouse building amounting to P 9,010,659.

Ricardo Añora, general manager of the UMFMPC, said that they wholeheartedly accepted the challenge of managing the full operation of the project.

“We commit that we will take good care of all the interventions and that we will sustain this project,” he noted.

Hauling and delivery truck intended for transporting the Cooperative’s Tinagak.

Meanwhile, Noel Provido, deputy project director of the Project Support Office Mindanao, said that the subproject opened doors for further development in the area.

“It is evident in the social indicators that there is progress in the area… there are already concrete houses and establishments in Maligang,” he added.

He also indicated that the clustering of the abaca industry in Sarangani through the PRDP is parallel with the Department of Agriculture’s ONE DA Approach and its clustering program.

Kiamba Mayor Danny Martinez recalled how the United Maligang Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative started its abaca enterprise with manual stripping of abaca. Such process is very strenuous on the part of the stripper and it requires so much time to do.

Aside from lack of equipment, transportation is one of their biggest challenges—but now both of these problems are already addressed through the interventions from its partner agencies.

During the recent turnover of the “Enhancement of Abaca Production, Processing and Marketing of High Quality Fiber” subproject to United Maligang Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (UMFMPC), Mayor Martinez expressed his gratitude to the DA-PRDP and to the Provincial Government of Sarangani for providing support to their farmers who rely on abaca as their main source of income.

Gina Cango, an IP member of the Maligang Multi-Purpose Cooperative showing some of their beautiful handmade crafts from abaca.

“This project is really a big help to our abaca farmers here in Sarangani. We are very thankful to the Department of Agriculture XII, DA-PRDP, and Provincial Government of Sarangani for trusting and for giving the opportunity to our farmers to have big projects like this,” said Mayor Martinez.

The abaca enterprise subproject is one of the nine completed I-REAP subprojects in Region 12.

It is an expansion project from an original investment of then Mindanao Rural Development Program. It is supported as well by other government agencies and the local government units.

Aside from this enterprise subproject, PRDP also has two completed IBUILD subprojects in the municipality which are the  “Improvement of NHW Junction Lomuyon-Tudok FMR”, and “Improvement of NHW Jct. Kayupo-Maligang-Sitio Malayo FMR.” | JOY M. MONTECALVO with reports from RPCO12)