PRDP Regional Project Coordination Office 4B Deputy Project Director Alex V. Ronquillo (right) facilitates the I-PLAN and I-REAP joint coordination meeting with the Romblon Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit. (Photo by Leira Vic Colongon, DA-PRDP RPCO 4B InfoACE Unit) Romblon to boost coconut industry with PRDP
The Province of Romblon is on its way to become one of the active partners of PRDP after its first infrastructure development (I-BUILD) sub-project was approved.
The Romblon Provincial Project Management and Implementation Unit (PPMIU) discussed its plans with the local and national level planning (I-PLAN) and enterprise development (I-REAP) components of PRDP-MIMAROPA last July 28.
During the coordination meeting, which was also attended by farmer cooperatives and associations in the province, Romblon PPMIU shared its plans to update the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP), conduct enterprise prioritization and draft the action plan for other infrastructure sub-project proposals such as irrigation and potable water systems.
Romblon’s primary commodity is coconut with at least 15 municipalities producing copra and more than 35,000 registered coconut farmers. The province has more than 50 hectares of coconut plantation that produce more than 200,000 metric tons of coconut per year.
The need to establish a processing plant for refined bleached deodorized oil (RBDO) or cooking oil is one of the necessary project interventions identified through Romblon’s PCIP and value chain analysis (VCA). Even with its current level of production, the province still imports cooking oil from other towns, because it lacks facilities for processing copra.
The Romblon PPMIU also plans to seek the assistance of the Philippine Coconut Authority while preparing the necessary requirements for their proposed PRDP sub-projects. Other project interventions based on Romblon’s PCIP include establishing research centers for coconut pest control, copra production and processing centers and potable water system facilities.
The proposed sub-projects will be funded by PRDP once they are reviewed and approved by the Regional Project Advisory Board and issued with No Objection Letter. Romblon’s first PRDP sub-project is the “Construction of Brgy. Pato-o Proper–Sitio Aurora, Odiongan, Romblon farm-to-market road with two bridges.” ### (Leira Vic Colongon, DA-PRDP RPCO 4B InfoACE Unit)
