After thorough deliberation, the Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) in Caraga Region has recently approved and endorsed for funding a total of PhP102 Million worth of subprojects (SP) from different proponent groups (PG).

Nineteen (19) of the SP’s amounting to a total of PhP80 Million are under the Enterprise Development portfolio that aims to increase farmer’s individual income and benefit the various associations and cooperatives. These include project proposals on Geonet Production and Marketing, Rice Processing and Trading, Seaweeds Production and Marketing, Cardava Production and Marketing, Banana Consolidation and Marketing, Bangus Production and Marketing, and Abaca Production and Marketing.

During the deliberation, OIC Regional Executive Director and RPAB Chair Renato P. Manantan emphasized that PG’s should have the capacity to carry out the projects and ensure its sustainability to get approval from the Board.

“These projects should not only benefit its direct beneficiaries but should also become a venue to enable communities alleviate poverty that even after the Project has ended, people will continue to live and prosper”, Manantan said.

PRDP, a six-year national government platform for inclusive, value-oriented, and climate resilient agriculture and fisheries sector, has been known to have championed measures on transparency and accountability.

Following the rigorous process of coming up viable business enterprises, each project proposal went through several in depth assessment, scrutiny and revisions before finally presenting it to RPAB for approval. This, to make sure that if given the final go, will serve its purpose in line with the Project’s objective that includes increasing farmers’ income, productivity, and competitiveness in the countryside.

The Municipality of Cortes which is the lone proponent for Infrastructure Component during the deliberation also received endorsement from the RPAB with 4 Subprojects amounting to a total of P22.6 Million. These include the construction of 6 Watch Towers, 9 Papag Dryers, 5 units All-weather Dryer, and 1 Warehouse with Solar Dryer.

“These subprojects will not only help our fishers and seaweed farmers but will also sustain the protection of our marine protected areas and fish sanctuaries and would eventually create employment for our people”, said Coastal Resource Management OfficerVincent Dueñas of Cortes, Surigao del Sur.

After endorsement of the subprojects to the National Program Coordination Office (NPCO) for further evaluation, PG’s will have to wait for the No Objection Letter 1 (NOL1) which signals the approval of each proposal.  (emmylou presilda/DA-Caraga)