P500M Allocated for Modern Rice and Corn Center in Kalinga Province

Tabuk City, Kalinga — The Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) has allocated ₱500 million to Kalinga Province for the establishment of a Modern Rice and Corn Center aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and improving farmers’ income in the Cordillera region.

The project seeks to strengthen the province’s role as a major grains producer by enhancing post-harvest facilities, improving market access, and promoting value-chain efficiency for local rice and corn farmers.

The provincial government is currently identifying a site for the proposed Rice and Corn Center following the ₱500-million funding offer from PRDP.

Governor James S. Edduba said that a similar offer from the International Rice Informatics Consortium (IRIC) program may also be availed, provided the province can provide the required counterpart funding.

“Actually, on the part of the province, we are looking for a site because PRDP has offered us funding. But there’s also the IRIC program—they are offering assistance, and we just need to provide a counterpart. We can actually build a center for rice and corn, complete with a mechanical dryer and warehouse,” he said.

During the Farmers’ Forum held on October 27 at the Capitol Gymnasium in Bulanao, Edduba shared that the PRDP has formally offered the province the budget for the said center.

The planned facility will include a mechanical dryer, warehouse, and other essential components, with about 20 percent of the provincial board’s shared funds possibly allocated to support the project. Edduba further explained that the Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU) is currently exploring possible funding sources to meet the required counterpart for the project.

The PRDP allocation requires a 30% counterpart, which Edduba admitted is a heavy financial burden for the province. He noted that Kalinga’s national tax allocation is limited, and with loan payments amounting to over ₱100 million, available funds have been significantly reduced.

“We are looking for funds so that we can provide our counterpart. The ₱500 million offered by PRDP requires a 30% counterpart, which is heavy for the province. Our national tax allocation is already small, and with our loan obligations reaching over ₱100 million, our available funds have been drastically reduced,” he explained.

Despite financial constraints, Edduba said the provincial government is exerting all efforts to increase local income. He urged contractors to cooperate with the stricter implementation of quarry regulations, emphasizing that the provincial government is now directly monitoring these operations to ensure proper collection and compliance.