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A monthly newsletter of the Mindanao Rural Development Program

May 2012Vol. 5 No. 05

President Aquino lauds Program, beneficiaries

President Benigno S. Aquino III lauded the achievements of the Program in

alleviating the living conditions of the rural and coastal folks in Mindanao.

“Sa tulong ng MRDP, itinataguyod natin ang pagkakaroon ng sapat na pagkain sa hapag ng bawat pamilya, ang pagkakaloob ng disenteng trabaho, at marangal na pamumuhay” the President said as he addressed more than 1,200 participants in MRDP’s People’s Organizations (POs) Congress at Grand Regal Hotel in Davao City.

He said that the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) MRDP and all its partners and stakeholders have been a partner of the government in addressing the welfare and needs of the Mindanao people, and in fast-tracking development in Mindanao.

“Ang pagkakapit-bisig din natin ang nagbunsod sa mga tagumpay ng Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka sa Mindanao Rural Development Program… Salamat po sa lahat ng kalahok at bumubuo sa MRDP

sa pagiging kabalikat ng ating gobyerno sa pagpapabilis ng pagbabago sa Mindanao,” he said.

The President hailed the program’s impact, citing the almost 17 percent increase in the rural folk’s annual income which is equivalent to more than P11,000 per year, since MRDP started providing assistance to farmers and fisherfolks in 2004.

Aside from this, he enumerated several projects of MRDP such as farm-to-market roads, bridges, solar dryer, as well as rural and agri-fishery infrastructures, saying “Na talaga naman pong nagpapaaliwalas at naghahatid ng oportunidad sa mga Mindanaoan.”

With the tangible impact of the program in improving the lives of the community, Aquino said people have high confidence over MRDP projects.

“Tunay pong kapag ang pondo ay matuwid na ginugugol, at nakakasabay sa pag-asenso ang Pilipino, ganado silang

makilahok sa ating pong mga proyekto," he said.

He also assured to strengthen more his reform agenda.

“Pagdating po sa kaunlaran, walang sinuman ang dapat maiwan—‘yan po ang bisyon natin ," the President emphasized, saying that this could be attained through good governance and unity of the government and the people.

He further stressed that his administration would continue to give focus on the “land of promise.”

Before the President rendered his speech, he handed over citations and awards to seven POs and local government units during the “Parangal sa mga Bosing ng Kanayunan” awarding ceremony.

The awarding ceremony was the highlight of the PO’s Congress, aiming to give recognition to outstanding and best performing POs and local government units in the implementation of the DA-MRDP projects in their respective areas.

TO MEET AND GREET HIS BOSS. President Benigno S. Aquino III lauds the performance of the Program, local government units and other stakeholders for their continuing efforts to improve the lives of poor in Mindanao during the Peolple’s Organization Congress held in Davao City.

MRDPulse Mindanao Rural Development Program 2

NEWS

Rolls out P13 million worth of projectsLocal government units (LGUs) and people’s organization (POs) are

agriculture sector’s valuable resources. While, for the President, they are his boss as far as his vision for rural development is concerned.

In his recent visit to Davao City in May, President Benigno S. Aquino together Sec. Proceso J. Alcala presented to six LGUs and one people’s organization(PO) awards dubbed as “Parangal sa mga Bosing ng Kanayunan.”

The said award was based on the LGUs and POs exemplary performance in implementing project under Department of Agriculture’s Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP).

“The MRDP has shown it has succeeded in mobilizing communities for agricultural development in Mindanao. It has successfully established through its various projects farm-to-market roads, bridges, water systems and solar dryers as well as other agri-fishery infrastructure in the rural areas,” the President said, adding that MRDP has contributed much in the country’s campaign to attain “freedom from hunger.”

Mga Bosing ng KanayunanSalay town in the Province of Misamis

Oriental was awarded Best implementer of the Rural Infrastructure project. The award which came with a P5 million worth of infrastructure project was received by Salay mayor Roger Gue and Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno.

MRDP Director Lealyn A. Ramos said Salay town showed good construction supervision and management of their Rural Infrastructure projects and of their contractors.

“It has implemented all their Farm-to-Market (FMR) projects without slippage hence they were able to complete and turned-over all their project ahead of schedule,”Ramos said.

In another category, Mati City in Davao Oriental was adjudged best implementer for the Community Fund for Agricultural Development (CFAD) component.

Through the various agri-based livelihood which included cattle and goat

production, the City government of Mati has increase farmers’ income.

“The community’s Community-based Monitoring and Evaluation Group (CBMEG) and the PO’s subproject monitoring and evaluation committee actively do their tasks to sustain members interest and enthusiasm,” CFAD component head Basila Siago said.

Along with the plaque, the award came with a P2.5 million worth of infrastructure projects.

Meanwhile, the only PO that was awarded for their commendable implementation of their subproject was the Doyos Eastern Coast Fishermen Consumers’ Cooperative (DECFISCOCO) of Brgy. Doyos, Carrascal, Surigao del Sur.

Chairman Tito Garcia who received the award with P1 million worth of infrastructure project, said it was a great opportunity for him to meet President Aquino and Sec. Alcala in person.

In an interview, Garcia said from the P200,000.00 grant from DA-MRDP, they learned to maximize financial resource through efficient and transparent procurement system.

“Proper canvassing and procurement of goods enabled us to purchase seven instead of just five units of motorized bancas,” Garcia said.

There were three winners under the

Natural Resources Management (NRM) component implementing agroforestry, mangrove rehabilitation and fish sanctuary projects. The recipients were each given a plaque and P1.5 million worth of environmental projects.

The municipality of Nasipit in Agusan del Norte was feted best implementer of agroforestry project as implemented by the Jamiguitan Farmers Cooperative. Mayor Roscoe Democrito B. Plaza received the award.

“Forest and fruit trees such as Falcata, rubber and lanzones are now covering the Jamiguitan watershed. The project has provided alternative income to its beneficiaries who are mostly displaced workers from closure of the local lumber company,” said NRM head Dennis C. Paul Mijares.

The 42-hectare mangrove rehabilitation project in Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat was recognized as the best in implementation. Two years after planting, close to a hundred mangrove seedlings at about four feet high are now teeming with greens covering the erstwhile nude and muddy 20-hectare shoreline and 22 close canopy mangrove.

The best fish sancturay implementation was in R.T Lim town in

PNoy, Alcala honor ‘Bosing ng Kanayunan’

Ang Bosing. President Aquino congratulates, as Sec. Alcala applaudes, Tito Garcia of DECFISCOCO after winning the Bosing ng Kanayunan Best PO category.

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Improving People’s Lives. Reaching Farther and Wider. MRDPulse 3

NEWS

‘Bosing ng Kanayunan’ Awardees

PNoy, Alcala honor ‘Bosing ng Kanayunan’

President Aquino and Sec. Alcala present the plaque and certicate of award to the winners of Bosing ng Kanayunan in various caterogy (clockwise from top: Mayor Roger Gue and Gov. Oscar Moreno receive the award for Salay town as best LGU implementing RI; Mati City Mayor Michelle Rabat and Gov. Corazon Malanyaon receive the award for Mati City as Best LGU implementing CFAD; Kalamansig Mayor Rolando Garcia receives the award for Best mangrove Rehab project; RT Lim Mayor Michael Piodena for Best Sanctuary project and special citation for RI implementation; Libungan Mayor Manuel Dela Serna for special citation for sustainable CFAD implementation; and Nasipit Mayor Rosco Plaza for Best agroforestry implementation. (Photos by Malacañang Press)

Zamboanga Sibugay. The town’s P1-million worth of fish

sanctuary project was implemented by President Roxas Farmers’ Association and the Kapamilya Association covering 132 hectares of fishing ground.

Mayor Michael A. Piodena, who accepted the award, said to fully implement and protect the project, the municipal government has promulgated municipal ordinance for a moratorium of fishing activity in the area which also paved the way for the

organization of Bantay Dagat volunteers assigned to patrol the area.

Special CitationsMayor Piodena also received

special citation for the town’s better implementation of its two Potable Water Systems (PWS) project under the Rural Infrastructure component.

“The projects particularly in the ‘waterless’ barangays of President Roxas and New Antique has lessen the incidence of water-borne diseases in the community,” mayor Piodena said.

Further, the municipality of Libungan,

North Cotabato was also given special citation is for its exemplary performance in Community Fund for Agricultural Development (CFAD) implementation.

Accepting the award was Mayor Manuel T. dela Serna who said their innovative program of forming PO consortium made their projects even from the phase one sustainable.

“The consortium has also unified the various livelihood beneficiaries from the first to second phase of the of MRDP. To date, the consortium has now total assets of more than P663,000.00,” mayor dela Serna said.

LGU Salay, Misamis OrientalBest in RI implementation

Mati City, Davao OrientalBest in CFAD implementation

LGU Nasipit, Agusan del NorteNRM- Best Agroforestry

LGU Kalamansig, Sultan KudaratNRM - Best Mangrove Rehabilitation

LGU Libungan, North Cotabato Citation for CFAD implementation

LGU RT Lim, Zamboanga Sibugay NRM- Best Fish SanctuaryCitation for RI implementation

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Regional Pulse

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From:The Editor-in-Chief

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Noel T. Provido Sherwin B. Manual Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor

Remjim V. Salido Lutzie E. Odtojan Circulation Manager Circulation Manager Contributors:Regional InfoACE Focal Persons

Advisers: Lealyn A. Ramos - Program Director Arnel V. De Mesa - Deputy Program Director

MRDPulse is a monthly in-house newsletter of the Department of Agriculture- Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP). Views of the writers in this publication are not necessarily endorsed by DA-MRDP. For your comments, suggestions and articles e-mail us at: mrdp_info@yahoo.com. Visit us at: www.damrdp.net

Pnoy: MRDP promotes good governanceOne in his vision of promoting inclusive

growth and good governance. This is how President Benign S. Aquino

III described the Department of Agriculture’s - Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP)as he addressed recently the gathering of farmers, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples and rural women in Davao City.

“Pagdating po sa kaunlaran, walang sinuman ang dapat maiwan—‘yan po ang bisyon natin. Ito ay hindi tinutupad ng isang tao o isang institusyon lamang; nagbubukal ito sa mabuting pamamahala at sa pakikiisa ng pamahalaan at taumbayan (Our vision is to promote inclusive growth. It cannot be implemented by one man or one institution alone but it is a fruit of good governance and the concerted efforts of the government and the people),” Aquino said.

“Sa tulong ng MRDP, itinataguyod natin ang pagkakaroon ng sapat na pagkain sa hapag ng bawat pamilya, ang pagkakaloob ng disenteng trabaho, at marangal na pamumuhay (With the help of MRDP, we continue to provide enough food in every table, provide decent job and a dignified living,” he added.

MRDP is a long-term poverty-alleviation initiative of the Department of Agriculture (DA) jointly funded by the World Bank,

by Sherwin B. Manual national government, and local government units covering Mindanao’s 26 provinces and 225 municipalities. It seeks to further improve rural incomes and achieve food security through agri-fishery infrastructure, livelihood enterprise, and biodiversity conservation projects.

In line with this year’s celebration of the Farmers’ and fisherfolk’s Month, the program convened recently some 1,500 members of the various people’s organizations who benefited agri-fishery livelihood projects under the Community Fund for Agricultural Development component.

“The MRDP has shown it has succeeded in mobilizing communities for agricultural development in Mindanao. It has successfully established through its various projects farm-to-market roads, bridges, water systems and solar dryers as well as other agri-fishery infrastructure in the rural areas,” the President said, adding that MRDP has contributed much in the country’s campaign to attain “freedom from hunger.”

Transparency, good governanceAquino also cited the program’s

trailblazing initiative of using the ‘geotagging technology’ to prevent

duplication and bogus implementation of infrastructure projects.

“Gamit ang “geo-tagging, nababantayan at nasusuri ang pagsasakatuparan ng ating pong mga proyekto. Matutukoy dito ang mga overlapping road projects, at kung may hokus-pokus na nangyayari. (With the aid geotagging, we can now closely watch and monitor the implementation of projects. With this technology we identify overlapping of projects and avoid hocus-pocus activities),” the President stressed.

He also cited the strong and broad-based support of various stakeholders of the MRDP alluded to the program’s transparent and clear-cut policies and procedures particularly in its procurement and financial management.

“Mataas po ang kompiyansa ng ating mga kababayan sa ating programa dahil kitang-kita ang pag-unlad ng mga sakop na komunidad. Tunay pong kapag ang pondo ay matuwid na ginugugol, at nakakasabay sa pag-asenso ang Pilipino, ganado silang makilahok sa ating pong mga proyekto (there is high confidence in the program because of the evident improvement of the communities. Once funds are spent to where they are intended, people are encouraged to support the project),” he added.

PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO OP. President Aquino poses with the delegates of the MRDP PO Congress as he is flanked by (front row, L-R) Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo Del Rosario, Sec. Proceso Alcala, ARMM Vice Governor Bainon Karon, MinDA Chair Sec. Luwalhati Antonino, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, IGR Head Consolacion Satorre and program director Lealyn A. Ramos and other DA-MRDP officials and PO representatives behind them.