=The Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) has confirmed that the quarantine protocols due to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) have affected the implementation of subprojects in Mindanao.
‘Covid-19 is really affecting our operations especially in implementing our subprojects that involve field work since there are quarantine measures implemented in different cities, provinces and municipalities,” Engr. Danilo T. Alesna, PRDP deputy project director Mindanao, told TIMES in an electronic mail through its information office.
Alesna said the project, like most government-run projects, has gone into “skeletal workforce and alternate work arrangements among our employees in solidarity with the government’s efforts to flatten the curve.”
Although he admitted that there will be delays in the implementation of the suprojects, Alesna said PRDP will do its best in fast-tracking the implementation once the pandemic is over.
“We will do our best to cope (with the challenges resulting from the delays) after this pandemic,” he said, adding that the office work of the project has continued in its regular flow.
Based on the data, PRDP has granted 274 infrastructure projects in Mindanao with a total cost of P19.5 billion and 118 enterprise subprojects with total project cost of P751.777 million in total amount.
Among those projects whose implementation has been delayed where those in Davao de Oro.
Based on its press release, in the province, which was able to corner about P968.88 million for 19 subprojects, the implementation of the 12 subprojects has been delayed because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
It said that it will hasten the implementation of the project once the situation normalizes.
The press release said that other seven projects, which were completed before the onslaught of the virus, cost about P255.72 million, six of them infrastructure facilities and one an enterprise subproject.
Although the press statement did not mention which of the 14 infrastructure subprojects were completed, these facilities have a total cost of about P935.26 million and cover 53,71 kilometers of 10 farm to market roads, P231.44 million for roads with bridge components, a potable water supply worth P6.46 million, and an unidentified facility worth P26.76 million.
On the other hand, the enterprise subprojects include a tablea processing and marketing enterprise which was among those completed, a village level rubber processing and marketing enterprise, an enhancement of cardava banana consolidation and marketing enterprise, a cow’s milk processing and marketing enterprise in Nabunturan, and an enhancement of virgin coconut oil and by-product processing and marketing enterprise.
The project also quoted some of the beneficiaries of the projects on how these have positively impacted their way of life.
Peter Jumigop of Compostela Town said the new road that connects his town with the capital Nabunturan has allowed him and the other rice farmers to access the market easily.
In the past, he said, the road was just a “pathway of carabaos that carry our produce. The road was muddy and the depth would reach our knees since there was no decent road before.”
He said in the past, transporting their produce to the market would take three days, while it a present, “the market and our farm are very accessible.”
Raul Bogani Sr., another beneficiary, said that what was evident was the reduction in hauling cost as before, the produce would be brought to the access road, while at present, buyers go directly to the farms.
“The buyers’ vehicle can now reach our farms and collect our produce by the side of the road unlike before where we used to pay P15 per sack (for hauling),” said Bogani.
