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LUNA, Apayao(PIA) -- The province of Apayao received the multi-million worth of completed subprojects from the Department of Agriculture - Cordillera Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-CAR PRDP).
Apayao Governor Elias Bulut Jr., the Regional Development Council Chairperson, with RDC Vice Chairperson and NEDA-CAR Regional Director Susan Sumbeling, Engr. Cael Gaston. heads the IBUILD or the Intensified Building Up of Infrastructure, Logistics and Development of the DA-CAR PRDP, and Flora Acting Mayor Jeofrey Blas with the other provincial and municipal officials led the inauguration of the Sta. Maria - Mallig Upper Atok Farm-to -Market Road (FMR) Project in the muncipality of Flora on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.
The DA-CAR PRDP also formally turned over the seven PRDP warehouses to the respective municipalities during the program proper that followed at the Mallig Elementary School in Flora, Apayao.
Provincial Agriculturist Prudencio Bosing said the improvement of the 11.80 kilometer road project is among the PRDP Subprojects amounting to more than P215 million with a counterpart of almost P40M from the provincial local government unit of Apayao . The project was implemented by the PLGU.
Bosing said that while the initial survey showed that the project would benefit 427 households and 2,574 individuals, the province is expecting more to benefit from the project particularly the farmers who are producing banana, coffee, rice, corn, pineapple and other fruits and vegetables in the more than 800 hectare agriculture area and another 1,000 potential agriculture area which could be developed.
For the seven warehouses, total amount was P74,634,789M with P10M counterpart from the PLGU given to each municipality of Apayao except for Luna. These facilities will be operated in partnership with the provincial government.
According to the PRDP, these warehouses are seen to reduce losses and product deterioration due to spoilage and improper storage, maintain the quality of crops, arrive at higher buying price thereby increasing the income of farmers, and viability of agricultural products in the province.
Farmer beneficiaries in the province also received more than P22M of project support thru the IREAP component of the PRDP namely the Banana Cardava Consolidation and Marketing to the Flora Multipurpose Cooperative amounting to P10,741,065; the Banana Chips Processing and Marketing to the Timpuyog ti Pudtol Multipurpose Cooperative- P1,005,262; the Coffee Processing and Marketing to the Calanasan Masipag Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative - P4,548,628.48, and the Banana Production Consolidation and Marketing to the Calaoan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multipurpose Cooperative - P7.5M.
Bulut thanked the PRDP for providing projects that are very beneficial to the farmers and the other users of the completed projects.
He said the newly turned over PRDP projects are results of the sincerity to improve our province.
“Dagitoy nga projects dagiti bunga ti sinseredad tayo nga mang papintas ti probinsya tayo (These are the results of our sincerity to improve our province). Take advantage of these projects and in the process, prepare your communities to embrace more developments to come,” he added.
Bulut is also hoping that the PRDP would be extended and Apayao would again be granted such projects since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. already saw the benefits of the PRDP projects to the farmers.
“Ni apo Marcos nga Presidente tayo ken DA Secretary, nakita na ti kina imporatansya dagiti PRDP project sunga masapul tayo nga agprepare (President Marcos who is also the DA Secretary already saw the benefits of the projects to the farmers), we have to take advantage to this kind of projects that will be coming soon,” he said.
In his message, Gaston thanked the community people for their cooperation and for their counterparts to ensure the completion and success of the project that would also benefit them. He called on the community to maximize the use of the projects but also take good care of it so it will be used for may years.
PRDP is a six-year development project under the DA funded through a loan from the World Bank, with counterparts from the national government and local government units. It is designed to contribute to the national goals of inclusive growth, job creation and poverty reduction.
Meanwhile, the Regional Project Monitoring Committee Project Inspectorate Team led by Sumbeling with rhe provincial officiasl led by Gov Bulut and the local project monitoring committee led by DILG Provincial Director Meyer Adong conducted a walkthrough and inspection of the new road.
The newly inaugurated road is among the projects inspected by the RPMC along with the other warehouses which is part of the PRDP subprojects in the province of Apayao. (JDP/RMC- PIA-CAR)
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