Three proposed enterprise development subprojects under the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) I-REAP component received the thumbs-up from the Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB).

The approved subprojects are as follow: (i)Seaweeds Production and Trading Enterprise of the Benabaye Primary Multipurpose Cooperative (BENAPRIMCO) in Merida, Leyte; (ii)Banana Production and Trading Enterprise of Brgy Utanan Farmers Association (BUFA) in Hilongos, Leyte, and (iii)Sogod Abaca Fiber Enterprise in Bontoc Multipurpose Cooperative in Bontoc, Southern Leyte.

Regional Project Coordination Office -8 Project Director Angel C. Enriquez congratulated the associations and even challenged them to earn higher income with the help of the projects.

“I hope you realize how blessed you are to be given the opportunity because not everyone has been given the chance, and you could also participate in food security. Help yourselves that you can be able to improve the lives of your members and you can probably expand,” Director Enriquez said.

The Seaweeds Production and Trading Enterprise has a total project cost of Php14,959,802.91. On the other hand, the Banana Production and Trading Enterprise amounts to Php9,789,653.82 while the Sogod Abaca Fiber Enterprise is worth Php 11,838,716.14. All of these are small enterprises proposing for start-up capital benefitting a total of 1,614 farmer beneficiaries.

As shared by Dr. Jenny Lyn R. Almeria, Deputy Project Director, the three proponent groups of the said projects are CSO (Civil Society Organization) accredited.

“Some business models were used in the business plans. Therefore, these are taken from the lessons learned from previous enterprise subprojects and are products of experiences,” she emphasized.

Melecia Ong, representative from the Department of Agrarian Reform-8 moved the motion for the approval of the three projects. These were duly seconded by Araceli Larraga from the Department of Trade and Industry- Leyte.
Five out of seven members of the RPAB were present during the said review.