TAYABAS CITY – The Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU) of Quezon province held its first interagency convergence meeting to further institutionalize the provincial commodity investment plans (PCIP) of the province.

“All of us have the same goal, which is to improve the industry and help make the lives of Quezon residents better. The administration’s major realization is that increased agricultural production is not enough; we need to transform farmers and fishers from mere producers to processors and traders,” Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator Maria Odesa Perez said.

Quezon province, as the food basket of CALABARZON, has majority of its land area (59%) allotted to agriculture while its long coastline assures the province with good access to marine resources. The PCIP’s of dairy cattle, virgin coconut oil, seaweeds, cacao, coffee, banana, mango and pineapple have approved Value Chain Analysis (VCA) while VCAs for lowland vegetables are for approval.

Ten of the government agencies that signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last year participated in the convergence meeting to share their programs and services. These institutions include the regional offices of Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Training Institute, Philippine Coconut Authority, and National Dairy Authority; provincial offices of the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, and Land Bank of the Philippines; Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation; Bureau of Plant Industry – Los Baños station; and Agriculture Credit and Policy Council.

The goal of this convergence activity is to ensure that the agencies’ interventions for the farmers, fisherfolk, and organizations are in harmony and not overlapping.

The PRDP CALABARZON I-PLAN Component Head and concurrent High Value Crops Coordinator for Region IV Redeliza Gruezo also informed the participants that starting next year, the PCIP will be the major basis of the Department of Agriculture for its interventions. This is also in line with the institutionalization of the PRDP tools and processes in the department.

“We can also get data on how effective and efficient the LGU in using these plans. We can also find new ways on how best we distribute our resources so more stakeholders can benefit from us,” Planning Specialist Jade Padonan of PRDP CALABARZON I-PLAN component said.

The province of Quezon currently has a total of 37 ongoing PRDP subprojects worth P1.58 billion. Majority of these subprojects cater seaweeds and coconut commodities.

Interagency convergence meeting will be done every quarter. Other provinces in the region will also conduct this activity once they have forged memorandum of understanding with partner agencies. ###(Lawrence Albert A. Bariring, PRDP CALABARZON RPCO InfoACE Unit)

I-PLAN Component Head Redelliza Gruezo discusses the programs and services of the Department of Agriculture. She is also the High Value Crops Coordinator of the CALABARZON.

Supervising Agriculturist Ma. Leonellie Dimalaluan of the Office of Provincial Agriculturist – Quezon shares the investment plans for pineapple, banana, mango, coffee, and seaweeds to the participants.