The World Bank (WB) delegates, headed by the Bank’s Senior Agriculture Economist and Project Team Leader, Eli Weiss, lauded the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) on its implementation process during the Ninth Implementation Support Mission.

“You [the South Luzon Cluster] have shown steps on how each progress has accelerated and you also demonstrated that PRDP is moving well and it is reaching its plans and objectives,” Weiss said.

For the South Luzon Cluster, a plenary and dialogue with the project beneficiaries were conducted on November 14 – 15, 2019 in Quezon City to review the implementation progress of each subproject and discuss solutions for issues and concerns that have emerged.

The two-day activity was attended by representatives from the National Project Coordination Office, Project Support Office (PSO), Regional Project Coordination Office, as well as proponent groups from CALABARZON, MIMAROPA and Bicol regions.

South Luzon’s accomplishment

The PRDP PSO South Luzon Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Arvin San Juan, presented the key accomplishments of the cluster as of November 14, 2019, during the plenary session.

Among the four clusters, South Luzon has 38 Value Chain Analysis (VCAs) which is 33 percent of the total number of approved VCAs (117) of the Project. These VCAs resulted in 16 Provincial Commodity Investment Plans (PCIPs) and two CIPs in chartered cities (Puerto Princesa and Naga).

The I-BUILD component has 55 approved subprojects that cost P4.5 billion. Compared to the last Mission, the component increased its physical progress from 52 percent to 58 percent while its disbursement performance improved by 22 percent from 49 percent (P1.6 billion) to 57 percent (P2 billion).

In terms of financial performance, the I-REAP component boosted by seven percent, that is P162.7 million from the eighth Mission to P195.8 million this Mission. Its physical progress increased by 11 percent from 30 percent to 41 percent. Also, the component has 70 approved subprojects worth P329.8 million.

Moreover, seven Marine Protected Areas and 13 Micro Enterprises worth P53.86 million were approved for Global Environment Facility (GEF). From 57 percent (P28.4 million), GEF’s overall financial progress improved by 16 percent (P39.3 million) while its physical progress increased from 21 percent to 36 percent.

Dialogue with proponent groups

On the last day of the Mission, a dialogue with the project beneficiaries from the regions was also held to review the implementation progress of their subprojects and ensure that the Project’s objectives are being met.

During the discussion, the PRDP team recommended solutions to the issues raised by the PGs that have occurred while performing their tasks.

The PRDP team also assured that PGs will continuously receive the Project’s support to further boost their income by providing them equipment, training activities, and other necessary assistance in the project implementation.

Closing the activity, Weiss advised the groups to continue doing “great” without compromising the quality and procedure that have to be followed.  – Lea Caliuag, InfoACE Unit, DA-PRDP South Luzon PSO

Gay Bañez, Enterprise Development and Marketing Specialist of PSO South Luzon, leads the dialogue with the World Bank delegates and project beneficiaries.

Palcon Dairy Multipurpose Cooperative (Sariaya, Quezon) member, Teodoro Panaligan, presents the issues and concerns that their enterprise has encountered during its implementation.

Yakap at Halik Multipurpose Cooperative Quezon 2 (Padre Burgos, Quezon) Benjie Domingo, Assistant General Manager enumerates the solutions to their encountered problems while performing their tasks.

Flora Limoico, President of Batangas Seaweeds Farmers Association (Calatagan, Batangas) reports the current income of the group as they implement their subproject.

A member of Samahan ng Mangingisda at Magsi-Seaweeds ng Villa San Isidro (Calauag, Quezon) shows the gross sales of the Calauag Seaweeds Production and Marketing.