DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Sept. 18 (PIA) -- The Regional Development Council (RDC) in Central Visayas has endorsed the Tamlang Valley development project with P1.463.633 billion funding on Sept. 15 during the 3rd quarter full council meeting at the Negros Oriental Convention Center, this city.

RDC-7 has approved the inclusion of the Tamlang Valley Sustainable Agriculture for Growth and Resiliency Project (TVSAGRP) in the Regional Development Investment Program (RDIP) for 2023-2028.

The Tamlang Valley is located along the four municipalities of Siaton, Sibulan, Sta. Catalina, and Valencia with an area of 26,835 hectares.

It is envisioned to be the food basket of Negros Oriental as well as in Central Visayas.

It aims to increase agricultural, livestock, and aquaculture production, and provide infrastructure facilities and capacitate farmers and communities to become productive project partners.

Melanie Ng, chair of the Economic Development Committee (EDC) of RDC-7, said the proposed project would prioritize rice production to boost food sufficiency and economic growth.

Ng said the project is a perfect example of public-private operations with the initiative of the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NOCCI) pushing the project forward and helping the local government unit and the community to benefit from this.

The EDC has passed a resolution encouraging regional line agencies in partnership with the private sector and civil society organizations to implement programs, activities, and projects in Tamlang Valley as a convergence initiative.

As the project intends to be an agro-industrial estate in support to the food security and food resiliency program, the RDC pushed it to be funded by the Department of Agriculture (DA), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and DA -Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP) with counterpart from the provincial government of Negros Oriental.

DA-7 Regional Director Angel Enriquez committed to conduct a feasibility study for the project to be incorporated in the public investment program of the DA as one of its major investment.

Meanwhile, RDC-7 also supported the creation and operationalization of the Tamlang Valley Management Council (TVMC) under Executive Order 43 of Gov. Manuel Sagarbarria to coordinate with the RDC and the Provincial Development Council and their sectoral committees on matters related to programs, projects and activities that will support the TVSAGR project. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental)