...

Official Publication of the Philippine Information Agency Bicol Regional Office, in cooperation with the RIAC-REDIRAS - RDC Bicol



Thursday, September 5, 2013

P104.4M worth of PAMANA projects in Bicol's 3 provinces underway

BY: MARLON A. LOTERTE

LEGAZPI CITY, Sept. 4 (PIA) -- At least three major projects with some P104.4 million fund allocation will be implemented in three provinces in the Bicol region under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (peaceful and progressive communities) or PAMANA program of the government to promote peace in conflict areas in the region.

The Department of Agriculture takes the lead of the project implementation in collaboration with the Departments of Interior and Local Government, Environment and Natural Resources, Energy and National Electrification Administration.

DA Bicol officer-in-charge Abelardo Bragas said the program intends to address poverty that remains one of root causes, among others, of armed conflict through provision of basic services and interventions to strengthen peace building, reconstruction and development in the vulnerable areas believed to be conflict areas.

PAMANA projects will cover the provinces of Camarines Norte, Masbate and Sorsogon.

In Camarines Norte, Bragas said the project will pursue institutional development component that focuses on social mobilization, preparation and capability enhancement; farm input support for corn and pineapple growers; agri-machinery and post-harvest support facilities; land preparations; crop insurance and farm-to- market roads.

The project will be implemented in the five barangays in Sta. Elena town and four barangays in the municipality of San Lorenzo Ruiz with a total project cost of P54.2 million.

Projects for Masbate include provision of production input and farm mechanization to improve farm productivity in 11 barangays of Mobo town with a project cost of P4.2 million while four barangays in Uson will get P2.3 million for cattle production or setting up of a multiplier farm for the production of superior quality breeder cattle for dispersal.

For Sorsogon, projects approved under area abaca rehabilitation; construction and rehabilitation of small water impounding facility and the improvement of the Sorsogon Provincial Nursery, with a total project cost of P25 million to benefit seven municipalities.

Gubat municipal government has submitted a proposal for the establishment of mechanical dryer amounting to P4.9 million.

Irosin town, also in Sorsogon, requested P6 million for the construction of two agricultural tramlines which will benefit farmer in Barangays Tabon-tabon and Carriedo.Casiguran town’s project is the concreting of Colambis-Gogon Road Phase II worth P13 million.

Bragas furthered that cooperating and recipient-municipalities were earlier selected and prioritized based on the criteria set by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

The beneficiary-LGUs will also provide counterpart funds for these projects.

PAMANA program forms part of the strategies to achieve the goals of the Philippine Development Plan for 2011-2016, on the other hand, was launched to complement the on-going peace negotiation efforts.

Bragas said it also aims to reduce poverty and vulnerability of poor communities; improve governance; empower communities and strengthen their capacities to address issues of conflict and peace through activities that promote social cohesion.

Bragas clarified that the eligible projects must reflect the needs of the communities and must be discussed and agreed upon by the stakeholders in the area and identified through a conflict-sensitive planning and programming process as defined by DILG.

Bragas stressed that several mechanisms shall be adopted in addition to the regular monitoring and evaluation by the agencies involved to ensure transparency of the project.  (MAL-PIA5/Albay)
- See more at: http://r05.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=771378255609#sthash.m3jUi0fh.dpuf

No comments:

Post a Comment