Vicenzo Sagun town becomes 1st recipient of PH Rural Development Program grant in Zamboanga peninsula

By Sheena Mae Mendoza

 SAGUN, Nov. 09 (PIA) - The Department of Agriculture will allocate P179 million for the concreting of a farm-to-market road (FMR) in the town of Vicenzo Sagun in Zamboanga del Sur which was chosen as the first eligible recipient of its Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP) Scale-Up subproject in the Zamboanga peninsula.

Among the other municipalities in the region that submitted project proposals to DA, only Vicenzo Sagun successfully met the required criteria and have complied with the necessary requirements, making them eligible to avail the project.

Vicente Sagun Mayor Jeffrey Maata personally received the certificate from DA during the recent launching of the department’s three core projects namely; PRDP Scale Up, Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project (MIADP), and the Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCoRe) project. These core projects of the department are made possible with the partnership and funding support of the World Bank.

Mayor Maata conveyed his gratitude to the department as it addresses the municipality’s need for much better farm-to-market connectivity.

“The municipality is deeply honored to be the sole recipient of the much-needed FMR project from the PRDP in the entire region. This is not just a milestone but a testament to the tireless dedication and effort of all those who worked to make this a reality”, he said.

0Zamboanga del Sur second district representative Victoria Jaezel Yu, who also attended the event, expressed her utmost gratitude to the DA for considering Vicenzo Sagun as the recipient of the project.

“Malipayun ko sa bag-ong proyekto nga nahatag o mabubo pinaagi sa PRDP para sa isa sa mga kalungsuran sa segundo distrito tungod kay daghan ang maka benipisyo niini labina sa ilang trabaho nga mas mapadali ang ilang transportasyon”, she said.

(I am happy with the new project that has been given or will be poured through PRDP in one of the municipalities in the second district because many will benefit from it, especially in their work that will make their transportation easier.)

The PRDP Scale Up project adopts the clustering and consolidation strategy of farmers and fisher folk groups producing priority commodities such as rice, corn, coffee, and cacao, among others. The project also prioritizes farm-to-market roads (FMRs) with value chain infrastructure support to improve access of farmers to the market.

Consistent with the President’s 10-point economic agenda of boosting the country’s agricultural productivity through mechanization, modernization, and value chain development, the DA’s PRDP Scale Up project will bridge the gap between farms and markets, streamlining easier transportation of agricultural goods.

With its focus on infrastructure and improved connectivity, the PRDP Scale Up project not only enhances mobility but also catalyzes economic development by ensuring timely and efficient delivery of local products to the market.

(NBE/SBM/PIA-Zamboanga del Sur with reports from the Department of Agriculture and photos from Basta Sagun Malabuon Page)