Visayas seen lagging on farm project bids

The regional Department of Agriculture claimed the Visayas has been left behind with other regions in terms of making sub- project proposals for the farm sector under the World Bank-funded Philippine Rural Development Project.

Although comments from WB officials on Visayas' execution progress seemed to be favorable during the project’s review mission early this year, the region still has to improve in the formulation of project proposals, said Gerry Avila, agribusiness chief of DA in Central Visayas.

“We need to fast track the generation of subprojects kay medyo nabiyaan gyud ang Visayas in terms sa hinimuay og project proposals,” Avila told The FREEMAN.

The agriculture agency emphasized the active role of local government units and even of groups of farmers and fishermen in the implementation of this rural development project is very important.

So far, infrastructure and enterprise development sub- project plans have already been made for Bohol and Cebu. Avila said the two had the advantage in terms of being the priorities as they were badly affected by calamities such as the Bohol earthquake and typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

The official, however, noted that PRDP has started to engage CV’s other two provinces -- Negros Oriental and Siquijor -- and their provincial LGUs in drafting the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) and doing value chain analysis ( VCA) for priority commodities.

PCIP is used as basis for funding sub-projects while VCA helps identify needed interventions for product value chain, including marketing, production support and infrastructure.

He cited that identified priority commodities for Negros Oriental include coconut, virgin coconut oil, organic rice, livestock and abaca; while those for Siquijor include peanut, slaughterhouse and livestock.

Farm- to- market road ( FMR) projects for Cebu and Bohol have already been proposed to help farmers connect their production areas to the market centers.

Aside from FMRs, other infrastructure projects of LGUs to be funded by PRDP are potable water systems, production and post- harvest facilities, communal irrigation and bridges.

LGUs that participate in the project are required to spend counterpart funds of 10% and 20% of the total project cost for production support and infrastructure projects, respectively.

Last year, the Philippine government and the WB signed a P27.5billion loan- and- grant agreement for PRDP to scale up support for rural development and enhance farm and fishery productivity.

This is to be implemented in six years.