Members of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Organic Farmers, Producers and Processors Association of Odiongan (ORFPPASO) finalized their Procurement Plan and formed their Procurement Team with assistance from the technical team of the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) MIMAROPA on February 16, 2022.

ORFPPASO is the Proponent Group (PG) of the Odiongan Coco Sugar Processing subproject. With a total cost of PhP7.5 million, this subproject aims to generate employment and increase the income of the 59 farmer members of the organization.

Alejandre Solis, ORFPPASO Chairman, mentioned that through the coco sugar enterprise, the health, environment, and economy will be positively affected. He further stressed the potential of the enterprise to lift the standard of living of their members.

“Number one advantage ay employment, mabigyan ng trabaho ang ating mga miyembro at kahit na hindi siguro miyembro kung mabigyan natin ng trabaho. Additional employment. Pangalawa, ma-uplift namin ang mga buhay ng ating mga miyembro pag sila ay nagka-trabaho na talaga dito sa ating processing na ito. At the same time, siyempre mapapataas natin ang kalidad ng ating produkto,” stated Solis. 

Attendees of the said activity were also given an overview of the revised Procurement Guidelines under the World Bank Second Additional Financing (AF2). This orientation was headed by DA-PRDP Project Support Office (PSO) South Luzon Cluster Procurement Officer Sheena Pascual Ibo.

Contrary to the previous regulation, the revised guidelines shift the role of the procuring entity from the technical team of the DA-PRDP RPCOs to the BAC of the PGs. This amendment aims to further capacitate PGs by giving them bigger roles in the subproject implementation.

When asked about how this new procurement setup will affect the implementation of their subproject, Chairman Solis shared that having direct control on the procurement process guarantees that the process will be done fast and well.

“Ang pinakamaganda nito is, kapag kami ang nagca-canvas at procure, alam naming yung takbo ng budget na ibababa samin. At the same time, nachecheck agad naming kung tama or mali yung mga specification kapag ganon na kami mismo nagca-canvas at nagpo-procure,” added Solis. 

The Odiongan Coco Sugar Processing subproject was approved by the Regional Project Advisory Board on December 4, 2021. Once completed, this enterprise will be the first coco sugar processing center in the province of Romblon.  (Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Sheena Pascual Ibo, Procurement Officer of the PSO South Luzon, orients the ORFPPASO BAC on the new Procurement Guidelines under World Bank’s Additional Financing 2. (Photo by Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Glenn Villacorte (left most), Procurement Assistant of RPCO MIMAROPA, facilitates the finalization of the Procurement Plan of the ORFPPASO. (Photo by Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)