Davao del Norte is leading the implementation of infrastructure projects under the I-Build component of the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP) among the provinces in the Davao region.
Dr. Consolacion Satorre, Department of Agriculture (DA) - XI Coordination Officer for PRDP told local officials during the program orientation that the province has the biggest portfolio of infrastructure projects under the program.
“In region XI, Davao del Norte has the biggest portfolio of infrastructure projects. You have 1.2 billion of which 654 million or 42% is already approved,” Satorre said.
From the 27.5 billion allocated to the country for six years, Davao del Norte has already built projects worth 1.216 billion.
Majority of these are the construction of five farm-to-market roads (FMR) equating to 38.89 kilometers around the province. A 15.09 km.FRM with a 41 linear meters bridge was also built in Brgy. Limbaan, New Corella.
Next to Davao del Norte is Davao Oriental with 517.74 million, Compostela Valley with 425.36 million and Davao del Sur having 236.17 million pesos.
“In the region, your projects are showcased; always visited by the National Project Office and even by foreign visitors through the recommendation of the World Bank”, Satorre informed the local officials.
It can be recalled that in recognition of its excellent performance in implementing the program, the Department of Agriculture highlighted Davao del Norte as one of the good initial examples to showcase the output of the PRDP in the region.
A 12-member delegation from India and Mongolia visited sub-projects of the DA-PRDP in the province for the World Bank’s learning exchange visit in the country late last year.
During the said visit, Soumya Purkait, Joint Secretary to the Government of West Bengal and Project Director of the Institutional Strengthening of Gram Panchayats Project (ISGPP) in India hailed the implementation of the program in the province.
"I'm impressed with the activities of the PRDP here because measures on accountability and transparency are put in place in implementing any activity within the time frame," he said.
The PRDP is a six-year (2014-2020) platform for progress of the National Government through the Department of Agriculture that is given to the Local Government Units to elevate profits, increase harvest thru providing key facilities and technologies to raise competitiveness in the agri-fishery sector.
PRDP is divided into four core components, namely: I-Build with a budget of P18.54 billion, I-Reap - P6.93 billion, I-Plan- P789 million, and I-Support with P1.23 billion budget.
