SAGADA, Mountain Province – In their first meeting here, the Regional Executive Director, Narciso A. Edillo, of the Cordillera office of the Department of Agriculture (DA), and Mayor James B. Pooten Jr., of Sagada, Mountain Province had a lot to talk about, like the 2018 proposed infrastructure projects of the municipal government of Sagada, inclduing a farm-to-market road (FMR), farm pathway, and a market improvement project.
Readied for implementation starting in 2018 are the improvement of the 6-kilometer Atowanan-Kayonokon FMR under the DA-Integrated Natural Resources and Environment Project (INREMP) and farm pathways in barangay Bulagan with a budget of roughly 27 million from the Second Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resources Management (CHARM2) Scale Up Project.
Approved under the DA regular programs are pump-and-engine sets for shallow tube well irrigation for barangay Dagdag.
Also proposed and discussed were water pump and hose for the Mabisil Insigidan Tibongaen Sadsad Organization of Ankileng, water sprayers to Bulagan Parents Association of Bulagan, a hand tractor for upland vegetable production to Suyo-Ankileng-Nacagang-Tacong Farmers Association, strawberry seedlings for barangay Tanulong.
Meanwhile, the Madchikom Coffee Producers Cooperative’s proposal for the establishment of a PHP 2 Million worth of coffee processing post-harvest facility will have to wait, pending the completion of a water-impounding project under its care as a new memorandum circular to all LGUs states that for all unfinished projects past their due dates, funds and proposals coming from the erring local government will not be approved for the next three years.
In the interim, it is hoped that the volume of coffee produced in the town to be serviced by the facility will double and, thus, maximize the use of the said facility.
Having approved these proposals, Edillo advised Mayor Pooten that budgeted proposals for the year will be given on cash basis, with projects unfinished for the previous year not given anymore additional cash to continue or to the complete projects for the next fiscal year. This is the new policy of the administration in order to maximize transparency and ensure that budget allocations are put into good use and for the timely completion of projects.
