As the Department of Agriculture–Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Scale-Up moves forward in 2026, the Cordillera continues to set the pace in rural development, delivering a growing portfolio of subprojects geared at transforming the region’s agricultural landscape.
Approved subprojects in CAR have scaled up from Php1 billion in December 2024 to over Php3 billion in infrastructure and enterprise investments by the end of 2025.
As of January 7, 2026, a total of 16 subprojects valued at Php3.14 billion are underway, reflecting the region’s strong collaboration between the local government units, community stakeholders, and DA-PRDP Scale-Up in advancing inclusive and resilient rural development.
Under the infrastructure development component, 10 subprojects—covering farm-to-market roads (FMRs), FMRs with bridges, communal irrigation systems, and potable water systems—are currently under implementation and five are in the procurement phase. As of December 15, 2025, two subprojects have surpassed 50 percent physical completion, with the remaining seven progressing at various stages of construction.
Under the enterprise development component, the Upgrading and Expansion of the Sagada Arabica Coffee Processing with Cupping Laboratory subproject has entered the early stages of procurement following the No Objection Letter (NOL) 1 issuance in the last quarter of 2025. Meanwhile, business planning activities continue for three additional farmers’ cooperatives in Benguet, Apayao and Ifugao, which are developing enterprise proposals focused on highland vegetables and coffee.
These investments are backed by the I-PLAN component, which lays the groundwork for strategic, data-driven subproject development through Climate-Resilient Agro-Industry Oriented Value Chain Analysis (I-VCA), commodity systems investment planning, and capacity-building activities for LGU planners.
The DA-PRDP Scale-Up has strengthened evidence-based investment planning across the region by facilitating the updating of Provincial Commodity Investment Plans (PCIPs) for all provincial LGUs, integrating climate considerations through the Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA), and enhancing LGU readiness for project development. The Rice I-VCA has been approved, while four additional I-VCAs are currently ongoing—one in the final stage and three at inception. Likewise, the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Investment Portfolio (RAFIP), a strategic tool for guiding priority interventions across key commodities, has been approved and is scheduled for dissemination this year.
Alongside subproject implementation, targeted capacity-building activities were conducted for proponent and implementing LGUs, farmers’ cooperatives, and DA-CAR personnel to strengthen project development readiness and support the mainstreaming of PRDP initiatives into regular DA-CAR programs. In 2025, a total of 30 learning and development activities were completed, enhancing the skills of personnel involved in the preparation and procurement, implementation, and monitoring of subprojects.
Community engagement was likewise strengthened through citizens’ monitoring trainings (CMT) and environmental safeguards activities. These included two tree-planting initiatives aimed at mitigating ecological impacts while promoting community participation in sustainable land management.
With these key highlights of 2025, the DA-PRDP Scale-Up continues to ensure that strategic investments translate into sustainable growth and lasting improvements in livelihoods for communities across the Cordillera, one subproject at a time. ** Elvy T. Estacio (RPCO CAR InfoACE Unit)
