by Mayrich Taguba – Soriano, RPCO2 InfoACE

The Regional Project Advisory Board 2, chaired by Regional Executive Director and Project Director Rose Mary G. Aquino, approved two (2) proposed I-BUILD subprojects in Cagayan Valley, under the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project Regional Project Coordination Office 2 on January 17, 2025 during the board’s 5th regular meeting at DA RFO 2 Organic Conference Hall, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

The board carefully reviewed the proposed farm-to-market roads namely, Rehabilitation of Brgy. M.H. Del Pilar-Barangay Salvacion FMR in Alicia, Isabela and Rehabilitation of Oscariz-Burgos-Purok ni Bukan-Pabil FMR in Ramon, Isabela with an estimated total amount of Php 262,700,516.41 and Php 199,754,618.56, respectively.

In his presentation, Alicia Mayor Atty. Joel Amos Alejandro emphasized the projected benefits of the subproject (SP) to their municipality. The SP has a Road Influence Area (RIA) of 3, 367 ha benefitting 22,507 constituents. It will further support their 3,196.13 ha existing agricultural area with aromatic/pigmented rice and regular rice as priority commodities.

Mayor Alejandro further mentioned that the SP will support the expansion of the existing Alicia Farmer’s Association located in barangay Magsaysay. The Local Government Unit of Alicia established its AFA Rice Processing Center project to consistently support the price of dried palay from the harvest of farmers in the municipality.

The FMR will contribute to the cost reduction of transactions, facilitate improved access to produce, support and inputs markets, enhance agricultural productivity, and improve profitability of farmers. Once issued with [a] No Objection Letter (NOL), this FMR will be their first PRDP-assisted project in the municipality which has the widest palay area in the region of 3,196.13 ha.

Meanwhile, Engr. Rogelio Rotoni, Executive Assistant for Plans and Projects, together with Ms. Jessa Kassandra Ng of Ramon, Isabela, presented how their proposed FMR could further improve the mobility of their goods and services and their constituents, more importantly.

The proposed SP has a RIA of 1,660 ha with 4,623 direct beneficiaries covering eight (8) barangays in the municipality. The SP will further support the 1,546.80 ha agricultural land area with commodities namely, rice (inbred), aromatic and pigmented rice, and tilapia.

Ms. Ng further mentioned that the SP will enable the C Series Council of Irrigator’s Association (CIA) in barangay San Sebastian to elevate the annual average income of farmers and their production levels.

Likewise, Director Aquino extended her congratulations to the presenters as she is confident that these projects will succeed with the full cooperation and support of the concerned Local Government Units. She, however, challenged the proponents to ensure that there will be enterprise development in the service areas in which the LGUs responded in the affirmative.

Regional Technical Director and Deputy Project Director Kay S. Olivas was also present during the meeting. She shared some valuable insights during the presentation of the proposed SPs.

The RPAB-approved proposed SPs will be endorsed to the North Luzon Project Support Office for further review, after which will be forwarded to the National Project Coordination Office for approval and issuance of No Objective Letter 1.

Present RPAB members were:

1. Mr. Dante Tobias, RAFC Chairman;
2. Atty. Cyrus Restauro, Acting Provincial Director of DTI Isabela;
3. Engr. Andres Cafugauan, RPAB Focal Person of DAR;
4. For. Jose Bueno, Jr., Chief, Forest Management Conservation Section/Regional Cagayan River Basin Focal Person of DENR;
5. Engr. Jove Revocal, Chief, Highways Design Section of DPWH;
6. Mr. Reynel Paguirigan, Community Affairs Officer II of NCIP; and
7. Atty. Rambo Tambauan, Chief, Regional Project Development and Management Unit of DILG.

Other attendees include RPCO2 and LGU Alicia and Ramon officials.