The Regional Project Coordination Office of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (RPCO BARMM) have already identified their champion commodities for five provinces and currently have existing subprojects under implementation with the Department of Agriculture Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP).

According to I-PLAN Planning Officer Elsie S. Omandam, the identified commodities in the Province of Maguindanao are rubber, coconut, coffee, and chevon; for Island Province of Tawi-tawi they have cassava, coconut, and seaweeds; for Sulu their champion commodities are coffee, seaweeds, cassava, and abaca; Basilan has rubber and coffee; and Lanao del Sur has abaca, cassava, coffee, and banana. 

These commodities were identified by PRDP through the Value Chain Analysis (VCA). Recently, the World Bank and PRDP National Project Coordination Office (NPCO) approved the VCA of Mangosteen which will consequently be included in the Priority Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) in Sulu.

I-REAP Component Business Development Officer Michael Ian Sastrillo also gave an update as to the enterprise subprojects (SPs) of BARMM where 10 sub projects have already been approved. These include five (5) SPs in Maguindanao worth P11.5 million and five (5) SPs worth P12 million or a total of P23 million approved subprojects in Tawi-Tawi.

As to the status of Maguindanao SPs, two (2) – the Goat Multiplication, Fattening and Marketing subprojects are at the 50% and above accomplishment rate, with the remaining three (3) still below 50% accomplishments and currently fast-tracking their implementation.

For Tawi-tawi, four (4) subprojects have already reached above 50% accomplishment rate while one (1) SP has already been completed.

In order to support the farmers in transporting and improving their goods, several I-BUILD subprojects are also being implemented across the provinces of BARMM.

Based on the updates given by I-BUILD Component Head Engr. Michael Anggol, there are 12 approved infrastructure subprojects: one (1) farm-to-market road (FMR) in the Municipality of Balindong, Lanao del Sur; two (2) FMRs in the Municipality of Parang, Maguindanao; and one (1) FMR, three (3) warehouses with solar dryers, and one (1) fish landing in the Municipality of Tandubas, Tawi-tawi.

Before the Ramadan, a team from BARMM went to Tawi-tawi to resolve some major issues which could not be addressed remotely since some of the island municipalities have challenged internet connections. According to RPCO BARMM they were glad to settle some of those major issues with the subprojects.

With the LGUs becoming more familiar with PRDP processes in project implementation, more are willing to avail the support from PRDP through submitting new proposals for both I-BUILD and I-REAP subprojects. (JOY MONTECALVO | PSO Min)