Last November 17 – December 3, the 11th World Bank Implementation Mission was conducted by the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) via the online platform Cisco Webex.

During the Proponent Group Consultation on November 20, the MIMAROPA I-REAP presented the Seaweeds Production Marketing which is one of the ongoing subprojects of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. The members of the City Project Management and Implementing Unit (CPMIU) with the proponent group Pandan Marine Products Marketing Cooperative (PMPMC) joined the videoconference with the World Bank and the Project management, led by National Project Director Undersecretary Ariel T. Cayanan and National Deputy Project Director Shandy M. Hubilla.

The Seaweeds subproject is a small enterprise and categorized as an upgrading and expansion type, located at Masong Lagoon, Brgy. Manalo, Puerto Princesa City, within the Honda Bay area. At present, the PMPMC have a 50 hectare-seaweed planting and postharvest site for its existing operations which it still plans to expand through PRDP.

“The assistance from PRDP will be of use in the planting of our seaweeds and in multiplying and helping our seaweeds grow. The PRDP is a great help to us because without it, we might still be planting seaweeds but we might not be able increase [our production] because we don’t have enough supplies. We will continue to plant seaweeds so that our members will have more income,” said PMPMC Chairperson Mario Mulato. 

The subproject is worth P16.1 million with its focus commodity being Raw Dried Seaweeds or RDS. Its investment capital requirement includes the provision of seaweed nurseries, floating dryers, fiberglass boats, transport equipment, and production supplies. Through the DA-PRDP, they aim to increase the income of their seaweed growers by improving the quality of the RDS that they will market, generate employment to both members and residents, and increase the group’s farm productivity.

The consultation, however, mainly focused on the steps that the cooperative exercised to cope with the current situation. In addition to the Coronavirus pandemic, the enterprise was also affected by the recent Typhoon Quinta. 

“Our planting activities became limited because we were not allowed to leave our homes. The price of our product also dropped due to absence of transportation caused by the pandemic. [But] as the number of sick people decreased, we were allowed to leave our homes. Then, we started planting seaweeds again,” said PMPMC Secretary Juvelyn Samante.

According to City Agriculturist Melissa Macasaet, “They built a temporary floating dryer to ensure that they are able to dry their seaweeds. There is no issue with quality because the group is well known in the buyers as they produce good quality so they don’t experience price decrease because of certain quality standards. And if they have any concerns, we immediately address their problems and issues.”

The enterprise was praised by the World Bank, with Agnès Deshormes (Agriculture Policy, Planning, and Business Specialist) saying, “You had a number of adversities, the COVID-19 [pandemic], the typhoons, that throughout these difficult events you have really kept up your dynamism and your determination to operate your cooperative and earn revenue, so congratulations. That is really commendable.”

At present, the cooperative has been coordinating with the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines to get information on where the market is going with respect to prices and demands in the future. In the future, they plan on increasing their capacity and their skills to go into processing of seaweeds for value adding. ### (Leira Vic Colongon, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Members of the Pandan Marine Products Marketing Cooperative (PMPMC) at their subproject site in Masong Lagoon, Brgy. Manalo, Puerto Princesa City. The group is operating the Seaweeds Production Marketing enterprise under DA-PRDP. (Photo by Joven Delgado, DA-PRDP Puerto Princesa CPMIU)

A member of the PMPMC prepares the seaweeds for planting at their 50-hectare seaweed farm in Honday Bay. (Photo by Joven Delgado, DA-PRDP Puerto Princesa CPMIU)