MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 27 Dec) – Fourteen farm-to-market roads and bridges in Bukidnon with a total cost of P405.53 million were included for funding starting in 2013 under the Philippine Rural Development Program, according to records from the Provincial Development Council.
The road projects, the most expensive among them is an P85-million rehabilitation of a remote road section in Damulog, are part of the rural infrastructure “sub projects” under the PRDP, the forerunner of the Mindanao Rural Development Project, which is under the Department of Agriculture’s US$500-million World Bank loan.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, in a letter to Bukidnon Gov. Alex Calingasan for the PDC’s endorsement of the project, said the “PRDP seeks to increase agricultural productivity and incomes, and spur job creation in the countryside.” The program, he added, is DA’s platform for “inclusive, value-chain oriented and climate-smart agriculture.”
Based on the list provided by the DA to the PDC in its December 12 meeting, the projects include the rehabilitation of the junction national road Sitio Naruganan Pocopoco to San Isidro Proper farm-to-market road in Pocopoco, Damulog town (P13.35 million); rehabilitation of Sitio Sinayaran, Pocopoco Road to Tankulan proper in Tangkulan, Damulog town (P85.01 million); rehabilitation of Kinapat road to Aludas Proper in Aludas, Damulog town (P19.28 million); proposed Maican to Balaoro single lane RCDG (conventionally steel reinforced concrete deck girder) bridge in Maican, Damulog town (P44.05 million); construction and upgrading of San Antonio West-Bizmartz farm-to-market road in Don Carlos town (P18.52 million); rehabilitation and improvement of Kibenton-Intavas farm-to-market road in Impasug-ong town(P19.72 million); and rehabilitation of Balintawak-Marapange farm-to-market road in Kibawe town (P12.51 million).
The projects also covered the upgrading of San Luis-Tubod-Omagling farm-to-market road in Malitbog town (P16.6 million); upgrading of junction Tomigbong-Larapan farm-to-market road also in Malitbog town (P16 million); upgrading of junction San Luis/Siloo-Mabuhay-Bagyangon farm-to-market road in Malitbog town (P11.9 million); upgrading of San Migara-Tingag-Tagmaray farm-to-market road in Malitbog town (P39.91 million); construction of Sabangan bridge in Dalirig, Manolo Fortich town (P39.2 million); rehabilitation of Puntian-Sitio Tambulaog farm-to-market road in Sumilao town (P16.6 million); and upgrading of Indulang-Colawingon-Salucot farm-to-market road in Talakag town (P53 million).
The PRDP promotes the development of a provincial commodity investment plans (PCIPs) as a joint undertaking by the DA and the partner provinces. The PCIPs, Alcala said in his letter, would take off from the DA’s regional agriculture and fisheries plans and the provincial agriculture and fisheries development plan. It will be the basis for investments that will be identified and prioritized under PRDP.
The 14 projects are under the rural infrastructure subprojects, which has a 90-10 percent cost sharing between the national government and the local government.
An official of DA who appeared at the PDC meeting said the basis for choosing which projects proposed by LGUs they will include in the program is the local government’s capacity to offer its counterpart.
Another set of subprojects, the rural enterprise development subprojects, require 80-20 percent cost sharing between the DA and the local government partner.
The infrastructure subprojects dubbed as “I-Build” is expected to yield strategic and climate-resilient rural infrastructure facilities along the value chain in order to improve road networks linking production areas with markets.
It also seeks to increase productivity from irrigation and water supply systems and reduce productivity losses.
The PDC passed a resolution endorsing the project in its last regular session based on records of the meeting.
The PRDP, a six-year spin-off of the MRDP, covers 75-percent funding from the World Bank loan to the national government, 13 percent from the national government, 11 percent from local government units, and one percent from an international grant. (Walter I. Balane / MindaNews)