TACLOBAN CITY, (PNA) — The province of Leyte identified its rice program to be initially included among projects that will be supported under the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP) of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
“We have to put it there to make it sustainable and push it further for increased production by way of technology,” said Gov. Leopoldo Dominico L. Petilla.
He said that Leyte is number six in terms of rice production in the country.
Rice consumers he said are getting bigger and not just limited only to the Philippines but even abroad. On the other hand rice lands are not expanding.
”We want to put emphasis there because we also want to export,” he cited.
He added that funds from the PRDP will be poured into various initiatives already identified by the province under its rice program.
Rice production is concentrated in the Waray-waray side of the province or in its first and second districts.
As part of the preparations, Petilla in September 22 signed Executive Order 006 that created the Provincial Program Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU) and Provincial Core Planning Team (PCPT) for the PRDP.
In a meeting held last month, the PPMIU and the PCPT among others agreed that the province will provide an initial P10 million PRDP counterpart to be included in its 2014 budget.
PRDP is a six-year program of the national government through DA for “inclusive growth through broad-based rural agro-industrial development.”
It seeks to increase farm and fishery productivity and income in targeted program areas in 16 regions of the country.
It will be funded to the tune of P27.48 billion composed of a US$ 500-million loan from World Bank, P3.579 billion and P3.118 billion counterpart funds from the national government and local government units, respectively and a US$ 7-million grant from the Global Environment Fund (GEF).
Engr. Jecela A. Demegillo, head of the Rice Program Management Unit of DA-Regional Field Unit 8 said that around 92 percent of the fund will be allotted for sub-projects that will directly benefit the people.
“Leyte is a priority for the PRDP based on the initial spatial analysis,” she affirmed.