33 DA-PRDP microenterprise proposals get green light
AGRICULTURE • 03:40 AM Mon Sep 19, 2016
1,697
By:
CUAguillon/DA-12
KORONADAL CITY -About
P36.8 million worth of microenterprise proposals for Region 12 were approved during the
conduct of the Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) Deliberation and Approval
of Sub-projects here last week.Under
the Investments in Rural
Enterprises and Agriculture and Fisheries Productivity (I-REAP) or
I-REAP component of the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development
Project (PRDP), proponent groups (PG), mainlycooperatives in SOCCSKSARGEN presented 33 proposals.
RPAB
ensures that policy directions of PRDP are carried out and oversees the
implementation of the program. The group is also tasked to review and approve
projects for funding and endorse work and financial plan to the Project Support
Office for Mindanao based in Davao City.
Carlene Collado,DA-12 OIC regional executive director who also sits
as the RPAB Chairman, underscored that these enterprises would provide
sustainable income-generating activities to PG members who were adversely affected
by El Niño which started in the last quarter of 2015 up to the second quarter
of 2016.
Of
the 33 proposals, 21 are from Cotabato Province (P21.9-M), six from Sultan
Kudarat (P7.4-M), five from South Cotabato (P4.7-M) and two from General Santos
City (P2.8-M).In
an interview with one of the proponent groups, Jonathan Castillo of Rang-ay
Multi-purpose Cooperative of Banga, South Cotabato said, We are very thankful
to DA-PRDP for considering our proposal. We were severely affected by El Niño…
this will be a great help to us.”
The
farmer leader also remarked that the project’s strict guidelines and processes fueled
them to be more persistent in engaging with PRDP.
We
underwent various processes like series of technical reviews, meetings, and
even a lot of revisions of our proposal which showed that the PRDP is very
strict in its implementation,” Castillo also added.
Rang-ay MPC is just
one of the proponent groups of microenterprise subprojectsapproved by RPAB in
Region 12, where its members will push for the success of their cattle
fattening project. (CUAguillon)