City of San Fernando, PAMPANGA – The Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) of Central Luzon approved non-farm-to-market (FMR) infrastructure subprojects amounting to P 815-million during the deliberation held on February 19, 2021 at the Department of Agriculture (DA) Conference Room, here.  

The RPAB Chaired by Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO 3) Regional Project Director Eduardo L. Lapuz Jr. expressed optimism that the presentation of proposed subprojects will be given a fair chance to be considered for funding.

“I hope that this meeting will be a fruitful one knowing the active involvement of our local government units in presenting projects designed to support their respective priority commodities,” he added.

Orani Municipal Mayor Efren Pascual Jr., Bongabon Municipal Mayor Allan Xystus Gamilla, Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU) of Nueva Ecija Focal Person Dr. Jovita B. Agliam and Engineer Vicky Cruz-Lucero of the Municipal Government of Talavera individually presented their respective proposed subprojects.

The four (4) other infrastructure development subprojects that were presented to the board are the following:

• Construction of Fish Landing and Trading Facility in Brgy. Pantalan Bago, Orani, Bataan with an estimated project cost of P199, 000,000
• Construction of Nueva Ecija Cold Storage Facility at Science City of Munoz in Brgy. Bantug Science City Munoz, Nueva Ecija with an estimated project cost of P204, 000,000
• Construction of Cold Storage in Brgy. Vega, Bongabon, Nueva Ecija with an estimated project cost of P206, 000,000
• Construction of Cold Storage in Brgy. Bantug Hacienda, Talavera, Nueva Ecija with an estimated project cost of P206, 000, 000.

The RPAB members composed of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agrarian Reform, and the Regional Agri-Fishery Council (RAFC) approved the four subprojects after probing and weighing essential factors in each presentation.

To conclude the deliberation, Dr. Lapuz Jr. commended the participation and enthusiasm of the local government units in urging the approval of these subprojects that are beneficial to farmers and fishers.

All four subprojects are set to be endorsed to the National Project Coordination Office (NPCO) for the issuance of No Objection Letter (NOL 1).  (MA. REINA LEN G. LUNA, RPCO3 InfoACE)