Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) will support another enterprise in the province of Quezon after its Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) approved the cocosap sugar enterprise proposal of Yakap at Halik Multipurpose Cooperative (YHMPC) Quezon II last February 23.

The cocosap sugar processing subproject aims to empower the coconut industry and the coconut farmers especially those members of the cooperative. From 31 skilled workers in year 1, they projected that they would have 58 skilled workers by year 10. Another target is to raise their annual income from this enterprise alone from P6.72 million in the first year to P12.11 million in the tenth year.

A major portion of this P14.94 million enterprise proposal will be used to construct a processing facility to be located in a cooperative-owned lot in Padre Burgos, Quezon. This will allow them to produce 48,362 kilograms of cocosap sugar in their first year of operation. 

“This is a good enterprise especially this product will become an attractive substitute to white sugars for the health-conscious segment of our population. That’s why you, including us in the PRDP, should avoid possible problems particularly on the procurement process,” DA CALABARZON OIC-Regional Executive Director and RPAB Chairperson Vilma Dimaculangan said.

Due to prevailing situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the board meeting was conducted virtually. Other members of the board were representatives from the departments of public works and highways; interior and local government; agrarian reform; trade and industry; and environment and natural resources as well as from Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Council.

Aside from this proposal, the YHMPC Quezon II is already managing another PRDP-supported enterprise on marine grouper production under the small livelihood project to support calamity-stricken areas. 

The Quezon provincial government is the partner local government unit of the PRDP for the cocosap sugar enterprise. # (Lawrence Albert Bariring, DA-PRDP CALABARZON RPCO InfoACE Unit)