The provincial government of South Cotabato is targeting to begin by the second quarter of the year the full implementation of various projects in the area under the World Bank-funded Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP).
South Cotabato Governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes said Monday all mechanisms are now in place for the implementation of the initial PRDP sub-projects that were approved for the area, among them the P39-million cassava granule production and marketing project in Polomolok town.
The PRDP, which is implemented by the Department of Agriculture (DA), issued a “no objection letter” to allow the cassava project to proceed to the procurement stage.
Program implementers are expected to issue a second “no objection letter” within the next two months to allow the full implementation of the project.
“We have set various support programs and mechanisms to ensure the proper and successful implementation of the projects in the province,” she said.
The governor said they are very much prepared and eager to start with the implementation of the approved PRDP sub-projects in the province, which is among the initiative’s priority areas.
Fuentes met with PRDP officials and World Bank representatives here last week for the first review of the project’s implementation.
“I assured them that we will value these development opportunities that will be coming in and we will implement the projects even better,” she said.
The provincial government of South Cotabato had proposed for around P80 million worth of enterprise development and infrastructure support projects for the initial phase of the PRDP.
Aside from the cassava project, it sought for the development of a farm-to-market road in Tupi town and a potable water system in Tampakan town.
The cassava production and marketing project will be implemented by the Polo Samahang Nayon Multipurpose Cooperative based in Polomolok town.
The project, which is expected to benefit around 1,600 farmers and farm laborers, is the first project that will be implemented under the PRDP’s enterprise development component.
South Cotabato was earlier chosen by DA, as among the country’s pilot areas for the PRDP, which is the expanded version of the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP).
The province was chosen as lead area for the program due to the local government’s “excellent performance” in the implementation last year of various projects under the MRDP–Adaptable Program Loan Phase 2 (MRDP-2).
South Cotabato province emerged as the top performer among the 26 provinces in Mindanao that were covered by MRDP-2 as it posted an accomplishment rating of 129 percent in terms of project implementation and fund disbursement.
Among Mindanao’s six regions, Region 12 or the Socssksargen region posted the highest combined accomplishment rating for MRDP-2 that ended in 2014. (PNA)
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