More farmers will soon have easy road access and enjoy convenient transportation of agricultural goods to the market. This is a picture that will come into reality in the near future with the result of the recent Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) Meeting of the Philippine Rural Development Project – Regional Project Coordination Office 8 (PRDP-RPCO 8) in Tacloban City.

RPCO-8’s Deputy Project Director, Dr. Jenny Lyn R. Almeria, presided over the meeting as authorized by DA RFO 8’s Regional Executive Director, Atty. Cipriano G. Santiago. In her message, Dir. Almeria emphasized that the Re-RPAB meeting for Intensified Building up of Infrastructure and Logistics for Development (I-BUILD) subprojects was called for in order to re-prioritize projects that should be updated and endorsed.

“We need to concentrate on the Economic Sensitivity Analysis and increase in project cost in compliance with Department Order 197 of the Department of Public Works and Highways, taking into consideration Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) concerns,” Dir. Almeria intoned.

Seven (7) I-BUILD subprojects worth Php567 million were deliberated in the said meeting, however only six (6) were approved and will be endorsed to the National Project Coordination Office (NPCO) for funding support. These projects include the following: Concreting of Abaca-Panda FMR in Dagami, Leyte; Concreting of Brgy. Concepcion-Bagumbayan-Hampangan FMR in Hilongos, Leyte; Construction and Concreting of Brgy. Hantag-Laboon FMR in Maasin City; Improvement/Concreting of Brgy. Cogon thru Brgy. Canca-iyas to Brgy. Villa Aurora FMR in Basey, Samar; Concreting of Brgy. Kailingan to Salhag FMR in Rosario, Northern Samar; and Construction and Improvement of Camparanga-Manahaw-San Ramon-Canjumadal FMR in Pambujan, Northern Samar.

Meantime, the Board decided to defer the proposed Construction/Improvement of Sitio Inamburacay – Brgy. Dancalan FMR in Bobon, Northern Samar due to non-representation in the finalization of the output.