THE PRODUCTION of medical gloves and motorcycle tires using natural rubber produced by farmers in Mindanao will be among the commodity-based programs which will be endorsed by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) for funding support under the PHP2.1 billion European Union (EU) Grant Fund for Mindanao.
In a statement Thursday, Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Mindanao's natural rubber farming sector has been adversely affected by the very low world market prices for rubber, a problem worsened by the absence of processing and manufacturing facilities in the region where most of the rubber farms are.
“Next week, MinDA's planning staff will conduct a final workshop on the projects to be endorsed for funding by the EU Grant which will be implemented starting this year,” he said.
Piñol said the identification of the priorities will be guided by three parameters: Job Generation and Reduction of Poverty in Mindanao; Enhance Productivity, especially food and other basic items and, Trigger Immediate Economy Recovery for Mindanao.
“The interventions will be Area-Based and Commodity-Based. The Area-Based Approach will target specific areas where the programs will be focused like the poorest provinces of Mindanao while the Commodity-Based Approach will identify Mindanao products which if given technical and funding support will provide jobs and trigger the immediate economic recovery,” he said.
Mindanao's rubber, along with other critical commodities like coconut, aqua-fisheries, banana, high-value crops, and corn, has been identified as a priority commodity for funding support.
“The establishment of processing and manufacturing facilities for raw rubber and latex will be pushed to provide Mindanao's rubber farmers added value for their products,” Piñol said. (By Prexx Marnie Kate Trozo)
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