ABORLAN, PALAWAN — The Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) MIMAROPA Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) conducted a pre-construction conference in Brgy. Iraan, Aborlan, Palawan to spearhead the construction of the Banana Trading, Processing, and Marketing subproject’s Banana Processing Center, March 24.

The said activity was attended by the Provincial Project Monitoring and Implementing Unit (PPMIU), barangay officials, members of the subproject’s proponent group: Aborlan Rainbow Marketing Cooperative, and the project contractor.

The said subproject, amounting to Php 19,049,190.66, is expected to assist 284 individual beneficiaries and to generate more than double the existing job opportunities.

“We can really see the benefits [that the subproject will bring] because of its impact to the community. We will need huge bulks of bananas for production. We’re expecting to fill 1,700 hectares of land here in Aborlan with banana plants. All of our members should have their own plantation so we can source the supply we need from them,” said Godofredo Diploma, manager of Aborlan Rainbow Marketing Cooperative.

Aside from the processing center, PRDP I-REAP’s Banana Trading, Processing, and Marketing subproject is projected to provide equipment which will help members of the proponent group to apply modern techniques in banana processing. Specifically, vacuum frying technology—a food processing technique which uses air pressure and hot oil—will be applied in order to preserve the nutrition found in bananas.

When asked how the subproject will impact the organization in three to five years, Godofredo Diploma stressed on how promising processing and trading is for their members.

“Because of the income that the banana processing will bring, I can foresee that quick development of our cooperative. Besides, it’s not just the processing that we rely on. There’s also the potential of [banana] trading which will contribute to our cooperative’s growth,” Godofredo Diploma stated.

After the pre-construction conference, another meeting was held with the subproject’s Bids and Awards Committee, PRDP RPCO 4B representatives, and concerned LGU officials. Attendees of the said meeting were urged to comply with the remaining documentary requirements in order to fast track the procurement for the subproject. ### (Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

RPCO MIMAROPA’s Rural Infrastructure Engineer, Fatima Parco, briefs the pre-construction conference participants on the site and project matters concerning the construction of the Banana Processing Center. (Photo by Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)