Two completed subprojects of the PRDP South Luzon Cluster exceeded their targets based on the result of the cluster’s first Rapid Appraisal of Emerging Benefits (RAEB).

The pilot PRDP infrastructure development (I-BUILD) and enterprise development (I-REAP) subprojects in the Province of Oriental Mindoro were evaluated through the RAEB on February 6–10 to determine their initial impacts and how they have achieved their objectives.

Through methods such as focus group discussion, key informant interview, household survey, and spot interview, the “Concreting of Bagong Silang–Macatoc Farm-to-Market Road (FMR)” and the “Oriental Mindoro Calamansi Trading Center” subprojects were evaluated to have shown positive results.

Representatives of the PRDP National Project Coordination Office (NPCO) and Oriental Mindoro Project Management and Implementation Unit (PPMIU) conduct survey with the calamansi farmers within the road influence area of the Bagong Silang-Macatoc FMR and take geotagged photos of their houses and farms. (Photo by Ana Francesca Chavez, DA-PRDP South Luzon PSO InfoACE Unit)

Emerging Benefits of the Bagong Silang–Macatoc FMR

“It is now more convenient for us,” Brgy. Bagong Silang resident Josephine Comia said about the newly constructed road. She shared that they used to travel trough the Brgy. San Gabriel route, but they now choose to pass by the completed FMR. According to her, the FMR is farther to the market compared to their old route, but they choose to travel here as it is faster and more convenient.

Based on the RAEB report, traffic count in the FMR located in Victoria, Oriental Mindoro increased by 70 percent from the average of 469 to 797 vehicles per day. The FMR also reduced the travel time by 54 percent from 50 to 23 minutes per kilometer.

“‘Expressway’ ’yong term ng mga tao sa FMR kasi ganon kaganda (The residents call the FMR ‘expressway’ because it is well-constructed),” Victoria Mayor Joselito Malabanan stated.

The RAEB report also showed that through the FMR, the combined input and output hauling cost decreased by 32 percent from the average of P14.87 to P10.08 per sack. In addition, the average annual household income of calamansi farmers improved by 105 percent from P9,462.64 to P19,409.82 as a result of the FMR construction.

MIMAROPA Regional Project Coordination Office Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Manny Carba (left) facilitates the focus group discussion regarding the Bagong Silang-Macatoc farm-to-market road subproject. (Photo by Ana Francesca Chavez, DA-PRDP South Luzon PSO InfoACE Unit)

Emerging Benefits of the Oriental Mindoro Calamansi Trading Center

“I have a six hectare of land, only half of this is planted to calamansi, but last year I started to plant new cuttings of calamansi, encouraged by the presence of the trading center,” Leila Custodio, a calamansi farmer in Calapan, stated.

Her statement supports the RAEB report on the 16 percent increase in the area of production of calamansi from 97.50 hectares to 113.25 hectares. The report also showed that the volume of production of calamansi climbed to 85 percent from the average of 3.3 metric tons to 6.1 metric tons per year.

Naujan Farmers Association (NaFA) farmer-member Maria Pilar Lumanglas shared, “[The surplus] which we would just throw away becomes money and we are really happy about this program provided by the government.”

Through the PRDP-funded trading center managed by NaFA, there were reported increase in the farm gate price of calamansi by 28 percent from P7.21 to P9.20 per kilo and decrease in spoilage rate by 48 percent per metric ton.

According to the RAEB report, the average annual household income levels of calamansi farmer-members of NaFA improved by 90 percent from P27,275 to P51,698, which can be attributed to the doubling of on-farm income levels of calamansi farmers through the PRDP-funded trading center.

Members of the Naujan Farmers’ Association (NaFA), the proponent group of the Oriental Mindoro Calamansi Trading Center in Calapan City, pose for a picture with the delivery truck provided by the Project. (Photo by Kathrino Resurreccion, DA-PRDP NPCO InfoACE Unit)

“Kitang-kita natin na itong project na ito, para talaga sa farmers (We can see that this project is really for the farmers),” NaFA President Conrado Balmes expressed.

RAEB is not a full-blown research, but it is an evaluation method used by PRDP to determine the successes of individual subprojects and how these are aligned to the Project Development Objectives. It also aims to assess the sustainability of subprojects and help determine sustainability measures.

Throughout the implementation of the PRDP, the RAEB results may serve as basis in the improvement of its future interventions and subprojects. The PPMIU can also replicate the use of RAEB for their own projects. ### (Gumamela Celes Bejarin, DA-PRDP South Luzon PSO InfoACE Unit)