So. Cotabato town gets funds for cassava project

KORONADAL CITY -The Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) hasreleased P20 million worth of checks to the South Cotabato provincial government intended for a major cassava project. According to DA 12 Regional Executive Director Amalia Jayag-Datukan, the amount comprised the first and second tranches of the P39.3-million fund intended for the implementation of the Cassava Granules Production and Marketing Project that the provincial government and local stakeholders proposed to the PRDP. Datukan said SOCCSKSARGEN Region is the first regional project coordination office to have facilitated the approval of an initiative under PRDP’s Investments in Rural Enterprises and Agriculture and Fisheries Productivity (I-REAP) component. The project is being implemented by the lead proponent group Polo Samahang Nayon Multi-purpose Cooperative (Polo SN MPC) based in Polomolok town, South Cotabato, a previous winner of the Gawad Saka Awards and Gawad Pitak Awards. South CotabatoProvincial Agriculturist Justina Navarrete revealed that representatives of the World Bank and PRDP were impressed by the viability and potential impact of the project to the beneficiaries. Approximately 1,600 farmers and farm laborers are expected to benefit from the project. The project will have a total investment cost of P41.43 million and is seen to generate an average annual income of P13.56 million within its six-year implementation period. During the turn-over ceremony at the covered court inside the Provincial Capitol Compound Monday, South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes admitted shehad second thoughts in accepting livelihood projects but pointed out that her desire to help improve the lives of the farmers in the province and the magnitude of the opportunity that the province and its farmers are offered encouraged her to fully support the business project. On behalf of their group, Polo SN MPC Manager Karen Daguro thanked DA-PRDP and the provincial government for the chance to manage a major project. She also vowed that they will do their best to succeed, especially because the entire country is observing the Polo SN MPC after the World Bank called its business plan ‘a world-class enterprise.’ The turn-over of checks and the signing of the enterprise investment agreement was witnessed by the employees of the provincial government, Vice Governor Cecile Diel, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, personnel of the Project Support Office – Enterprise Team from Davao City and DA RPCO 12.