Number of PRDP projects soars as more LGUs come on board

Infrastructure and enterprise projects under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) increased by more than tenfold in the last eight months, the Department of Agriculture said on Monday.

 

According to PRDP data, subprojects under the program increased by as much as 1,212 percent since December 2014 which include infrastructure (I-BUILD) and enterprise (I-REAP) developments.

 

The ongoing implementation of  infrastructure projects expanded to P3.02 billion from P230 million as of end-2014, bringing the total portfolio of I-BUILD to P37.39 billion, a 240 percent increase from P10.98 billion, PRDP National Deputy Director Arnel De Mesa said. 

 

Projects under I-REAP, on the other hand, have reached P78.65 million that include 10 subprojects compared with P35.88 million for two subprojects as of end-December 2014. This brought the total I-REAP portfolio to P1.64 billion – an increase of 354 percent.

 

De Mesa noted the participation of local government units now encompasses 75 provinces from 58.

 

“PRDP is committed to deliver critical infrastructures and establish actual enterprises benefitting farmers and fishers,” Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said.

 

“It is important that the roads we approved are connected to national roads and other roads that will change the lives of our farmers,” he added.

 

The PRDP is a six-year national project through the partnership between the Department of Agriculture and local government units, and is funded by a loan from the World Bank.

 

The DA signed the contract with the World Bank for the P27.5-billion-loan-and-grant agreement in September. – Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VS, GMA News