Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Department of Agriculture 6 executive director, Remelyn Recoter, led the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a muscovado mill plant in Barangay Oringao, Kabankalan City, yesterday.
The project, with a total cost of over P25 million, has two components – the infrastructure component worth P12,176,549 and the enterprise component amounting to P13,801,177.
It is a subproject of the Philippine Rural Development Project, and jointly funded by loan proceeds from the World Bank, DA, and the provincial government of Negros Occidental, with the Kalibutan Society Inc. as the proponent group, a press release from the Capitol said.
PRDP Provincial Project Management and Implementation Unit Negros Occidental head, Dr. Narissa Lemocito, said the project aims to increase the production of quality muscovado sugar in the province that will cater to domestic and foreign markets, increase the production of muscovado sugar in the southern part of Negros Occidental, and increase the income of sugarcane farmers.
Lemoncito also said that muscovado is the first commodity with value chain analysis, and it is also included in the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan of Negros Occidental, the press release said.
She added that muscovado is in demand, both in the domestic and foreign markets, because of its health benefits.
The groundbreaking activity was attended by Board Member Jeffrey Tubola, Kabankalan City Mayor Pedro Zayco and Vice Mayor Raul Rivera, Himamaylan City Mayor Raymund Tongson, Albert Barrogo – deputy project director of PRDP-Project Support Office Visayas Cluster, Provincial Engineer Ernie Mapa, OIC provincial agriculturist Dina Genzola, and KSI officers and members, led by Antonio Castillo Jr., among others.*
