PRDP projects delayed

Lack of documentary requirements, insurgency in some provinces, weather cause project delays

THE Department of Agriculture 11 (DA 11) said the implementation of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) in the region is currently facing various problems that have caused delays on the project operations.

PRDP, implemented under DA and funded by World Bank with P27.54 billion, is a six-year national government platform where innovations are introduced to address current and emerging challenges like climate change, and make rural development more effective.

DA-PRDP Mindanao Cluster Information Chief Sherwin B. Manual, during a media conference held in Habi At Kape in Abreeza Mall yesterday, August 2, said one problem being faced by the stakeholders under this project is the

lack of documentary requirements needed for the project approval.

He said there are seven projects in the region still waiting for an approval.

"World Bank told us that these documentary requirements are important to be filed in order to ensure the proper implementation and transparency of the project, and also to ensure that it will be sustainable and be completed on the targetted timeline," Manual said.

He also added that the issue of insurgency in some provinces in the region has greatly affected the project implementation of PRDP as there are various cases of eradictaion such as contrators' equipment being burned by a certain group.

Weather condition, Manual said, also has caused some delays in the projects.

However, he said that there are already finished and approved projects in the region such as the three cacao producing company in Davao City, Maragusan, Compostella Valley, and Kapalong Davao del Norte.

The construction of the farmto-market road in Nabunturan to Mawab, Compostella Valley, Manual said, also has started.

The project is now on its third year of implementation and is currently focusing on the establishment of additional infrastructures and enterprise projects, aiming to provide income increase to the agricultural sector.

It has three major components which are the Investment in Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Plan (AFMP) Planning at the Local and National Levels (I-Plan), Intensified Building Up of Infrastructure and Logistics for Development (I-Build), and the Investments in Rural Enterprises and Agriculture and Fisheries Productivity (I-Reap).

In Mindanao, Manual said the I-Build already has 31 completed projects, 13 ongoing projects, and 15 newlyapproved projects. He added that 43 percent of the PDRP budget was allocated to this project.

While in the I-Reap, Manual said there are already 73 proposed projects, in which 43 of these are already approved, and only eight are already on full-swing operations

Manual said DA is hoping to provide five percent income increase for the farmers and fishermen every year during the six-year implementation of the project. BSC