DA Calls LGUs to be Part of PRDP Projects

The Department of Agriculture (DA)7 on Saturday emphasized the importance of local government units (LGUs) participation in the projects implemented under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP).

DA 7 Information Officer Merilyn Talagon said this was enunciated by DA 7 OIC Regional Executive Director Angel Enriquez who explained that LGUs should closely coordinate with PRDP everytime they implement agricultural projects.

Talagon said Director Enriquez echoed to LGUs the call of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala regarding the implementation of PRDP here in Cebu.

According to Talagon, President Benigno Aquino III is tentatively scheduled to arrive here on the first week of November this year to formally launch the PRDP.

The project, Talagon stressed, will run up to six years and is designed to establish a market-oriented agriculture and fishery investments; expand market access and improve competitiveness in the agriculture sector, among others.

Talagon added that under PRDP, a development project such as a farm-to- market road or livelihood support would be funded by the World Bank with a sharing scheme of 80% loan proceeds, 10% by DA, and 10% by the local government, respectively.

Talagon pointed out enterprise sub-projects require 20% counterpart by the proponent group and another 20% coming from LGU, the rest will be funded by loan proceeds and the DA.

Talagon also said that Region 7’s Project Advisory Board of the PRDP recently endorsed P158.68 million worth of agriculture-related projects which are all based in Bohol Province.

She said the above-named PRDP development projects consist of rehabilitation of four farm-to-market roads located in Barangays del Carmen West and Tugbas in Balilihan, Barangays Mahayag Norte and Baang in Catigbian, Barangays Alegria and Bigho in Loboc, and Barangays San Agustin and Canmaya Diot in Sagbayan with a total sub-project cost of P140.9 million.

It also include a dairy carabao processing and marketing enterprise proposed by the Bohol Dairy Producers’ Association, based in Ubay, Bohol, costing P17.8 million, Talagaon added.