LINGAYEN, Pangasinan September 10 – The Sangguniang Panlalawigan has given the go signal for Governor Amado “Pogi” I. Espino, III to jumpstart processing implementation of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) in the province
This was done in a session at the SP Session Hall, Capitol Compound last September 5.
Through PRDP’s two subprojects Investment for Rural Enterprises for Agricultural, Livestock and Fisheries Productivity (I-REAP) and Investments for Building-Up of Infrastructures and Logistics for Development (I-BUILD), Pangasinan will soon see an influx of small livelihood projects (SLP) and the rise of infrastructures boosting the agriculture sector.
Edict-sponsor Board Member Liberato Villegas of the fourth district wrote that this affirms the province’s participation in the project to finance small livelihood and regular enterprise development initiatives.
“Pangasinan manifested its interest to participate in the program, and forwarded to DA pertinent documentary requirements for its proposed subprojects,” he said.
The provincial legislator said that the governor shall undertake all acts necessary for the effective implementation of the proposed subprojects.
Dalisay Moya, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist-in-Charge, who appeared in the session for DA, said that funding for I-REAP SLPs are divided among the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development-World Bank (IBRD-WB), 60 percent; the national government, 20 percent; and the local government unit, 20 percent.
Proponent multi-purpose cooperatives and groups of the SLPs are also committed to fork 20 percent of the total cost.
She said that Pangasinan has qualified for the I-REAP endowment for SLPs because of its inclusion in the badly hit provinces of the Typhoon Lando October last year.
Moya said that I-BUILD will be funded as follows: IBRD-WB will shoulder 80 percent while both the national and local government unit will give 10 percent each. Its initial offering is the farm-to-market roads in the Umingan town.
She added that other projects under I-REAP and I-Build are already in the pipeline and are being slated for implementation as determined by PRDP Project Management Office.
PRDP is financed by a loan granted by the IBRD-WB to the Philippine Government since 2014, running for six years until 2019.
Underpinned by Republic Act No. 8435 or the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act, the project sets out the government’s policies to support the agricultural sector in the country.
Present at the session with Villegas were his fellow Board Members Napoleon Fontelera, Jr. and Antonio Sison, Raul Sison, Angel Baniqued, Jr., Generoso Tulagan, Jr., Jeremy Agerico Rosario, Chinky Perez-Tababa, Clemente Arboleda, Jr., Salvador Perez, Jr., Noel Bince.
They are joined by Provincial Councilors League Pres. Sheila Marie Perez-Galicia and Liga ng mg Barangay Pres. Jeanne Jinky Zaplan.
Presiding the meeting was Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim, Jr.
By HENT
