CARAGA
Turnover of PhP59M DA-PRDP FMR to strengthen rubber industry of Agusan del Sur
Farmers in Agusan del Sur will now enjoy wider markets and increased connectivity thanks to the Bucac – Marcelina farm-to-market road, turned over by the DA – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Caraga on February 7 in Bayugan City.
Spanning 4.7 kilometers, the PhP59M FMR traverses Barangays San Isidro, Bucac, and Marcelina in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur. It connects to a completed DA-PRDP FMR and a crumb rubber processing facility also funded by the DA and the World Bank through the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP).
Regional Executive Director and RPCO 13 Project Director Arlan M. Mangelen highlighted the milestone as a crucial step in achieving the mandate of the Department of Agriculture.
“The mandate of the DA is to ensure food security within the region. We want to achieve these goals together with our stakeholders. Convergence with local government units is essential in achieving this vision,” said Mangelen.
Agusan del Sur Governor Santiago B. Cane, Jr., meanwhile thanked the community members of the three barangays for their active involvement
DA-PRDP Caraga takes home 19 recognitions at 5th cluster awards
RPAB greenlights two FMRs under PRDP Scale-Up
Communicating DA-PRDP impact within the region
PhP369M FMR in Surigao City secures No Objection Letter from DA-PRDP
Fostering sustainable implementation through internal audit
DA-PRDP Caraga takes home 19 recognitions at 5th cluster awards
DA-PRDP Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO)
Caraga, led by Project Director Arlan M. Mangelen and Deputy Project Director Rene Q. Morales, took home 19 recognitions during the 5th PRDP Mindanao Cluster Awards, held in Davao City on March 4.
Since 2021, the cluster awards have served as a platform to recognize excellence in project implementation and dedication in driving rural development for farmers and fisherfolk across Mindanao. PRDP Mindanao Project Director Macario Gonzaga commends RPCOs for their commitment, highlighting the crucial role they play in achieving the Project’s vision.
Here is the list of awards bagged by RPCO 13:
1. Outstanding Media Content Creation (First Place)
2. Outstanding Procurement Unit
3. Fastest Region to clear World Bank S.T.E.P. Process Delays (First Place)
4. Most Updated in World Bank
S.T.E.P. and SIDLAN (First Place)
5. Best in Post-Procurement Review (Second Place)
6. Shortest Procurement Timeline (Third Place)
7. Land Compliance Excellence Award
8. Updated CIP Award
9. VCA Crafting Award
10. Highest Disbursement –I-REAP Component
11. PRDP Scale-Up Enterprise Pioneer Award
12. I-REAP Subproject Efficiency Award (Without Civil Works) –Third Place
13. Excellence in Timely Reporting Award (MEL)
14. RAEB Conducted with Complete Report
15. Excellence in SIDLAN Data Management (Second Place)
16. Outstanding Compliance Award (MEL, Third Place)
17. 100% Compliance to OMAS
18. Top Performer in Geomapping System
Population (Third Place)
19. Best in LGU and PG AGT Capacitation and Compliance (Third Place)
DA-PRDP RPCO 13 with PSO Mindanao Project Director Macario Gonzaga (bottom third from left) and PSO Mindanao Deputy Project Director Carlene Collado, CPA (bottom fourth from left).
Communicating DA-PRDP impact within the Caraga region
To enhance the production of success stories that communicate the impact of government projects and programs, the DA - Philippine Rural Development Project (DAPRDP) Caraga InfoACE unit held a Training-Workshop on Feature Writing cum Data Journalism from February 4 – 6, 2025, in the Province of Dinagat Islands.
Aimed at elevating DA-PRDP’s communication and advocacy efforts within the region, the training-workshop gathered InfoACE counterparts from city and provincial local government units within Caraga, as well as information officers and partners from DA Special Projects, the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Section (RAFIS), and the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD).
“Equipping our partners with these skills will not only lead to the enhancement of their outputs, but it will also help in humanizing government services so that the general public can better appreciate
the impact brought about by government projects,” said Emmylou T. Presilda, OIC of the Agricultural Program Coordinating Office (APCO) of Surigao del Sur.
Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) XI Deputy Project Director Noel T. Provido led the discussion on communicating change and impact through feature writing. Project Support Office (PSO) Mindanao Information and Advocacy
Specialist Joseph John Palarca meanwhile led the training on photography while PSO Mindanao Multimedia Production Officer Leonard Asuque facilitated the workshops on photo tagging and archiving.
The three-day activity reflects the InfoACE unit’s commitment to strengthening information and communication networks through partnerships with local government units in the Caraga region.
InfoACE counterparts from the LGUs, information officers from DA Special Projects, RAFIS, and partners from AMAD gathered for the training-workshop.
RPAB greenlights two Caraga FMRs under PRDP Scale-Up
The PRDP Scale-Up continues to build momentum in the Caraga region as two farm-to-market roads were approved by the Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) in a deliberation held on March 11, 2025, in Butuan City.
The PRDP Scale-Up, an expanded version of the original PRDP, aims to address gaps in commodity value chains through bigticket infrastructure and enterprise subprojects.
The board approved for funding the Sitio Patag (Garcia) to Sitio Dela Concepcion (Sto. Niño) Libjo FMR in the Dinagat Islands and the Malixi to Sitio Pamintigan, Hinagdanan
FMR in Tagbina, Surigao del Sur. The FMRs, estimated to cost PhP150M and PhP353M (respectively), support the development of the cassava industry of the Dinagat Islands and the coffee industry of Tagbina, Surigao del Sur.
Municipal Mayor Glaiza Jane Lanete calls the approval of the FMR an ‘answered prayer’ for farming communities in Tagbina, especially in supporting efforts to further bolster and promote their brand of Robusta coffee.
Dinagat Islands Governor Nilo Demerey, Jr. meanwhile emphasized the economic impact the FMR will bring to the agricultural industry of the province.
“Our projects under DA-PRDP, which are geared towards food sufficiency and support for the local economy, propel the province to become more progressive. We are grateful for the approval of this FMR as it will help us carve the future of the Dinagat Islands,” said Demerey.
Once implemented, the FMRs are set to benefit 347 households and 2,866 individuals in the Dinagat Islands and 4,170 households and 18,166 individuals in Tagbina, Surigao del Sur, respectively.
The Regional Project Advisory Board, chaired by the Department of Agriculture, is responsible for the review and approval of all DA-PRDP projects at the regional level. Members of the board include representatives from the
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the
Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the Caraga region.
Dinagat Islands Governor Nilo Demerey, Jr. joins the deliberation via teleconference.
The Regional Project Advisory Board is chaired by the Department of Agriculture Caraga.
PhP369M FMR in Surigao City secures No Objection Letter from DA-PRDP
The implementation of the PRDP Scale-Up is well underway in the Caraga region as a PhP369M FMR in Surigao City was granted the No Objection Letter (NOL) 1 in a ceremonial awarding ceremony on January 10, 2025, at the DA Central Office in Quezon City.
Department of Agriculture
Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. awarded the NOL1 certificate to Surigao City Mayor Pablo Yves L. Dumlao II. Also present in the ceremony were National Project Director Asec. U-Nichols A. Manalo, Project Support Office (PSO) Mindanao Project Director Macario Gonzaga, PSO Mindanao Deputy
Project Director Carlene Collado, CPA, and Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) Caraga
Project Director Arlan M. Mangelen.
Totaling PhP369M, the NRJ Trinidad – Mabini farm-to-market road with bridges is seen to strengthen the coconut industry in Surigao City, addressing key constraints in connectivity, transportation, and marketing.
Funded under the PRDP Scale-Up, the FMR is set to benefit 12,806 individuals, connecting coconut farmers to wider markets and opportunities within the region. With the issuance of the No Objection Letter (NOL) 1, the LGU may start procurement after undergoing training on procurement guidelines and standards.
With the issuance of the NOL1, the LGU may start procurement after undergoing training.
Towards transparent, sustainable DA-PRDP implementation
In an effort to gauge the sustainability of DA-PRDP subprojects within the Caraga region, the DA Internal Audit Service – Special Audit Division (IAS-SAD) monitored the status of completed subprojects funded under the Original Loan in an audit which ran from February 17 – 21, 2025 throughout Caraga.
Reinforcing DA-PRDP’s commitment to transparent project implementation, the audit aimed to gain insight
into the status of completed subprojects, gaining first-hand knowledge from beneficiaries and implementers on the ground.
Regional Executive Director and RPCO XIII Project Director Arlan M. Mangelen welcomed the audit with open arms.
“This is not only a platform for us to improve processes and resolve any issues in project implementation, it is also an opportunity for us to showcase
the accomplishments of the DA-PRDP in the region,” said Mangelen.
Apart from ensuring that policies were followed in project implementation, the audit also aims to glean vital lessons learned and how the Project can improve moving forward, especially with the implementation of the expanded PRDP Scale-Up. In total, the team visited 18 completed subprojects spread throughout the Caraga region.
Site visit of the Culit Communal Irrigation System in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte.
FMR Turnover in Agusan del Sur
1
in monitoring the progress of project implementation, expressing his hopes that they sustain this dedication in the operation and maintenance of the FMR.
Set to benefit 2,872 farmers in Agusan del Sur, the Bucac – Marcelina FMR is funded under the Second Additional Financing – European Union Grant (AF2-EU).
CARAGA
PRDP inFOCUS is the quarterly newsletter of the Department of Agriculture - Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) 13
In its ongoing efforts to build PRDP Scale-Up awareness among Local Government Units (LGUs) within the Caraga region, DA-PRDP Caraga met with the municipal LGU of Libjo for an orientation and validation from March 12 – 13, 2025, at Libjo, Dinagat Islands.
The orientation aims to strengthen the LGU’s working knowledge of DA-PRDP’s structure, processes, tools, and innovations, in the hopes that they may be able to avail of funding under the PRDP Scale-Up. Deputy Project Director Rene Q. Morales discussed possible entry points for subproject proposals, including supported commodities, cost-sharing schemes under the Scale-Up, and the subproject development process.
In pursuit of accessing more opportunities for fisherfolk communities in the municipality, the municipal LGU of Libjo meanwhile expressed interest in availing of a fish landing and cold storage subproject under the PRDP Scale-Up.
The PRDP Scale-Up, an expanded version of the original PRDP, aims to address gaps in commodity value chains through big-ticket infrastructure and enterprise subprojects. Currently, four infrastructure subprojects and one enterprise subproject are ongoing implementation in the Caraga region.
EDITORIAL BOARD
RHEA C. ABAO
Editor-in-chief
NICHOLE L. TALATALA
Writer/Layout Artist
WILFREDO C. ABREA
NICHOLE L. TALATALA
Photographers
TECHNICAL ADVISERS
ARLAN M. MANGELEN
Project Director
ENGR. RENE Q. MORALES
Deputy Project Director
RPCO 13 Project Director Arlan Mangelen turns over the key of responsibility to Agusan del Sur Governor Santiago Cane, Jr.
A portion of the Bucac - Marcelina FMR in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.