September 1, 2015

With 14 approved infrastructure development sub-projects worth P1,116.18 billion and three agro-industrial enterprise development worth P22,948,753.65 with No Objection Letter 1 (NOL 1) issuance, the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) is now spurring growth in the rural communities of Bicol. This was among the highlights of the PRDP 1^st Implementation Support Mission to South Luzon cluster held on August 26-28, 2015 at Aziza Paradise Hotel in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

The said event was attended by eight World Bank (WB) officials led by Project Team Leader Samik Sundar Das, PRDP National Project Coordination Office (NPCO) Project Director Usec. Emerson U. Palad, PRDP NPCO Deputy Project Director Engr. Arnel V. De Mesa, Project Support Office (PSO) South Luzon, component and unit heads of the Regional Project Coordination Offices (RPCOs) as well as City/Municipal/Provincial Project Management and Implementation Units (C/M/PPMIUs) of regions IV-A, IV-B and V.

Masbate Acting Governor Vicente Homer B. Revil,  Catanduanes Governor  Araceli B. Wong, and Camarines Norte Governor Edgardo A. Tallado also attended the said activity along with Palawan Governor Jose Ch. Alvarez, Governor Mario Gene J. Mendiola of Occidental Mindoro, Palawan Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron, Mayor Joselito A. Ojeda of Mulanay, Quezon, Mayor Cesar J. Isaac III of Guinayangan, Quezon, Mayor Eric M. Wagan of San Antonio, Quezon, Mayor Maria Remedios U. Rivera of Buenavista, Quezon and Vice Mayor Artemio Mamburao of Macalelon, Quezon.

According to PRDP PSO Director Shandy M. Hubilla, Bicol leads the procurement of 2014 approved infrastructure development SPs in South Luzon at 80%. It also has the highest number of updated Provincial Commodity Investment Plans (PCIPs) for the second commodity engaging all provinces in the region. In addition, Bicol has eight value chain analysis (VCA), one of which is for NOL 1 issuance, 6 are for PSO review, and one is on-going data gathering.

Also featured during the said event were Camarines Norte’s PCIP for Coco Geonets, presented by Thelma Q. Bardon, head of the province’s Investments in AFMP Planning at the Local and National Levels (I-PLAN) component and Palawan’s PCIP for Seaweeds, delivered by Dr. Romeo M. Cabungcal of PPMIU-Palawan. The presentation highlights the coconut and seaweed industries in the said provinces as well as their key gaps and constraints, needed interventions, responsibility center and actions taken.

According to Das, the presentations were excellent and very meaningful. He then challenged all the participants particularly the C/M/PPMIUs to turn their plans into actions and initiate interventions that would tap the project’s potential. He also underscored the connection between PCIP and farm-to-market road (FMR) projects towards achieving the PRDP objectives.

Last February 2-4, 2015, the team of officials from WB conducted a similar review mission to two sub-projects in Bicol namely the Upgrading of Cuco-Bagong Silang Farm-to-Market Road in Pasacao, Camarines Sur and the Albay Coco Geonets Manufacturing Enterprise in Libon, Albay. Notice to Proceed with the said infrastructure development sub-project aimed at rehabilitating 79% of the existing road for the benefit of 2,637 population was issued on May 22, 2015. Construction of the 8.02-kilometer road is now on-going. Meanwhile, NOL 1 was issued to the Albay Coco Geonets Manufacturing Enterprise on May 12, 2015. The enterprise now provides an additional source of income for 53 twiners, paid at P1 per twine; 18 weavers and seven decorticating machine operators who receive P200 per day. It also engages coconut farmers 30 barangays of Libon as well as neighboring towns in Albay, Partido Area and Iriga City in Camarines Sur as sources of raw materials for 10 centavos per husk.

Issues and concerns in the project implementation were discussed by the various component/unit heads and support staff with the WB Mission team as the participants were grouped accordingly by component.

The WB experts, along with most of the participants, also visited the Concreting of Bukang Liwayway-Makandring FMR in Brgy. Langogan, Puerto Princesa City and the Seaweeds Nursery, Production and Marketing Project in Barangay VI (Johnson Island) in Roxas, Palawan.

During the exit conference, the WB officials lauded the progress of sub-projects being implemented by the South Luzon cluster as well as the initiatives they have taken. They also provided recommendations to address issues and concerns of all components in order to improve the Project’s on the ground implementation. They further reiterated that PRDP is about changing the way of doing things in the Department of Agriculture in order to strengthen the rural economy.

Similar mission reviews will also be conducted in the four clusters nationwide in Isabela, Misamis Occidental, Bohol, and Lanao del Norte.

PRDP is a six-year project with a total project cost of P27.48 billion designed to establish an inclusive, market-oriented, and climate-resilient agri-fishery sector using science-based tools and innovations including VCA, Vulnerability and Suitability Assessment (VSA), Expanded VSA (e-VSA), Geomapping, and Geotagging. The budget allocated for PRDP consist of financing from the WB loan of P20.50 billion, Global Environment Facility (GEF) grant of P287 million, National Government of P3.579 billion and Local Government Units (LGUs) equity of P3.118 billion. (Annielyn L. Baleza, I-SUPPORT InfoACE Unit, DA-RAFIS 5)

PRDP Project Support Office South Luzon Director Shandy M. Hubilla (3rd from left) shows the regional commodity products of Bicol to World Bank Project Team Leader Samik Sundar Das (in blue, 2nd from left) and Palawan Governor Jose Ch. Alvarez (in white, 1st from left). RPCO V I-REAP Component Head Adelina A. Losa and Camarines Norte Governor Edgardo A. Tallado look on. Coco geonets, pili pulp oil, pineapple juice, and cassava feed granules were among the region’s priority commodity products exhibited during the PRDP 1st Implementation Support Mission to South Luzon Cluster.

RPCO V I-PLAN Component Head Aloha Gigi I. Bañaria (center) joins her counterparts from NPCO, PSO, and RPCOs during the Workshop with World Bank I-PLAN Consultant Douglas Forno (extreme right, in blue).

RPCO V I-REAP Component Head Adelina A. Losa (6th from left) shares issues and concerns regarding I-REAP implementation with her counterparts from NPCO, PSO, and RPCOs during the Workshop with World Bank team.

RPCO V Procurement Unit Head Imelda P. Acompañado (seated, 7th from left) joins her counterparts from NPCO, PSO, and RPCOs to share issues and concerns regarding I-SUPPORT implementation during the Workshop with World Bank I-SUPPORT Consultant Luningning Bondoc (5th from right) and HR Consultant Shruti Gaur (4th from right).

RPCO V InfoACE Unit Head Emilia B. Bordado (2nd from right) joins her counterparts from NPCO, PSO, and RPCOs during the Workshop with World Bank team.

Engr. Eros Jerswin V. Oñate of RPCO V Social and Environmental Safeguards Unit (5th from left, in black) joins his counterparts from NPCO, PSO, and RPCOs during the Workshop with World Bank Social Safeguards Specialist Jonas Bautista (7th, in checkered polo shirt).

World Bank Project Team Leader Samik Sundar Das (in yellow), World Bank Social Safeguards Specialist Jonas Bautista (in striped polo shirt), PSO South Luzon I-BUILD Component Head Engr. Allan C. Tattiera (1st from right, in white and blue shirt) and NPCO I-BUILD Alternate Component Head Ericson T. Mammag (2nd from right) evaluate the Concreting of Bukang Liwayway-Makandring FMR in Brgy. Langogan, Puerto Princesa City along with other participants during the PRDP 1st Implementation Support Mission to South Luzon Cluster Site Visit on August 27, 2015.

RPCO V I-REAP Component Head Adelina A. Losa shares RPCO V’s experience in complying with Social and Environmental Safeguards requirements for I-REAP sub-projects during the Exit Conference of the PRDP 1st Implementation Support Mission to South Luzon cluster.