South Cotabato one of 11 provinces chosen for rubber development program

South Cotabato is one of 11 provinces chosen by the national government for its 10-year National Rubber Development Program (NRDP) which will receive an initial funding of P55 million.  The other priority provinces are Antique, Benguet, Bukidnon, Isabela,  Maguindanao, Negros Occidental, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Sarangani and Zamboanga Sibugay.

Reynaldo Legaste, South Cotabato chief agriculturist, said the P55-million investment was part of the government’s commitment to fast track the expansion of rubber plantations in the 11 provinces.  “The province will initially get P5 million as kick-off fund for the program,” he said.

Nine of South Cotabato’s 10 municipalities were identified as suitable for rubber plantation, making it one of the priority sites under the NRDP.

The NRDP, a brainchild of Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol, is primarily aimed at reestablishing the country’s rubber industry.

Piñol, who was tapped as the program’s focal person, earlier said the country needs to refocus its programs for the rubber industry so that it would not be left behind by other rubber- producing countries such as     Thailand, Vietnam, India, and Indonesia.

MindaNews