NEDA 4A: PRDP FMR in Sampaloc, Quezon, a model project

for rural development

The Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) led by the National Economic Development
Authority – CALABARZON (NEDA 4A) commended the Department of Agriculture - Philippine Rural
Development Project Regional Project Coordination CALABARZON (PRDP 4A) and the local government
of Sampaloc, Quezon for the prompt, efficient, and effective implementation of the Mamala-Taquico-
Caldong farm-to-market road (FMR).

The RPMC is the monitoring arm of the Regional Development Council responsible for inspecting,
monitoring, and evaluating regional programs and projects of the government.

The Mamala-Taquico-Caldong FMR was implemented by the PRDP 4A and the Sampaloc LGU to improve
the local virgin coconut oil industry and residents' access to essential services and economic
opportunities. It has a project cost of Php 159,408,602.77, catering to 94 households in Brgy. Mamala,
Taquico, and Caldong.

The 10.4 km road during the RPMC inspection was functional, with farmers and residents using tricycles,
jeepneys, horses, and private vehicles to and from their farms, the town proper, and their homes, well-
maintained with clean shoulders, and with visible safety warnings in sloped areas. The RPMC also
observed that the farmlands and agricultural projects in the area along the road are actively operating,
one of which is the coconut hybridization project of the Philippine Coconut Authority.

Among the good practices identified during the inspection were the close coordination of the LGU,
Contractor, and the PRDP 4A, the conduct of regular monitoring and quality tests on the works of the
road, the use of geotagging technology to document the progress of the project, proactive Municipal
Project Management and Implementing Unit, timely compliance of requirements and billing documents
with the DA-PRDP, and sustainability efforts such as the allocation of funds for the operations and
maintenance of the FMR, ordinances enjoining residents to actively participate in maintaining the FMR,
and the mainstreaming of PRDP tools in the LGU’s other projects such as the development of Plan of
Works, Detailed Engineering Design, Social and Environmental Safeguards, and Geomapping and
Governance documents.

RPMC Secretary Valter Morada and Regional Development Council Private Sector Representative Engr.
Ladislao Andal expressed their admiration for the PRDP 4A and the Sampaloc LGU as the benefits
brought by the FMR are seen to be aligning with the government’s resolve to strengthen the agriculture
and fisheries sector and food security in the country and to improve the quality of life of Filipinos.

“The implementation of this project must be emulated by other local government units, especially since
Sampaloc, Quezon is a fifth-class municipality. We hope to see more projects with this kind of
implementation that is efficient, effective, and consistently stays true to its purpose,” shared RPMC
Secretary Morada.

The Philippine Rural Development Project is a national project of the Department of Agriculture jointly
funded by the World Bank, the National Government, and participating LGUs that aims to establish a
modern, value chain-oriented, and climate-resilient agriculture and fisheries sector in the country. It
provides key infrastructure, facilities, technology, information, technical assistance, and capacity-
building activities to its proponent groups/beneficiaries to raise incomes, productivity, and
competitiveness in targeted areas.

This year, the DA-PRDP will be rebranded as the PRDP Scale-Up, which will take off from the PRDP’s
accomplishments and lessons learned in previous years. It will have additional project objectives that
will cater to the rebuilding of commodity value chains, improvement of food supply chain and logistics
flow, investment prioritization of FMRs, the inclusion of post-production support for rice and corn, and
enhancement and mainstreaming of PRDP innovations.

Local government units and proponent groups interested/engaged in the above endeavors are
encouraged to partner with the DA-PRDP Regional Project Coordination Offices to fund and implement
subprojects under the PRDP Scale-Up. ### (Myrelle Joy Bejasa, PRDP 4A InfoACE)