KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) -- At total of 28 farmer groups in Soccsksargen region are assured of P31.19 million in income as they acquired contracts as suppliers of goods for government supplemental feeding programs.

These farmer groups are able to grab their contracts as suppliers of vegetables, rice, and milk requirements for Cycle 14 of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-led supplemental feeding program through Negotiated Procurement-Community Participation (NP-CP), according to Ibrahim Sangcupan, program coordinator of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP).

“We, through EPAHP, have been advocating the use of negotiated procurement-community participationto purchase agricultural, fishery, and other goods from cooperatives and other community-based organizations,” Sangcupan said at a meeting of the Multi-Sectoral Advisory Council (MSAC) in Region 12.

More community-based organizations may be awarded service contracts as EPAHP and its partner agencies continue to campaign for the use of negotiated procurement and community participation as a means of procuring goods and services from local providers.

“Through NP-CP, we will be able to provide a market for the products of our farmers and organized communities while accomplishing the goals of several laws that intend to address poverty and hunger, such as the Gawad Saka Act (Republic Act 11321) and Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino (RA 11037),” he added.

Sangcupan also clarified that NP-CP is a method of procurement that involves direct negotiation between the procuring entity and a qualified provider, such as community or social groups, local farmers, and fisherfolk cooperatives and enterprises.

Based on the amended Section 53.12 of the 2016 revised implementing rules and regulations of RA 9184, DSWD, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agrarian Reform, the Department of Health, the Department of Education, and other partner agencies of EPAHP may contract with a community-based organization with an approved budget allocation (ABC) of up to P5 million for goods.

The ABC may be increased subject to approval by the head of the procuring entity, who shall submit to the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) a report on the amount of the ABC approved and the reason therefore for proper monitoring, the guideline states.

During the Knowledge Alignment and Progress of EPAHP Towards Ambisyon Natin 2040 (KAPE-TA) meeting, Elmer Bulalaque, planning and finance officer of EPAHP, reported that as of the first quarter of this year, a total of P31.19 million has been contracted with 28 community-based organizations through negotiated procurement and community participation.

The amount included P11.40 million negotiated with 14 farmer groups and cooperatives that will supply milk for the Cycle 14 supplemental feeding program. About 5,000 undernourished children across Region 12 are set to benefit from the milk-feeding activities.

Six farmer organizations in South Cotabato will supply P10.22 million worth of vegetables and P2.55 million worth of rice for the hot meals of the DSWD-led feeding program.

Meanwhile, eight farmer groups in Sultan Kudarat will provide P3.45 million worth of vegetables and P3.57 million worth of rice for the provision of hot meals for the feeding program.

Bulalaque said more supply contracts are expected later this year as orientations regarding NP-CP continue.

In March, EPAPH conducted NP-CP orientation for school division superintendents, bids and awards committees, and finance and planning officers in the eight school divisions in the region.

“They have committed to subjecting their school-based feeding program to negotiated procurement-community participation,” Bulalaque said.

Similar orientations have also been conducted with personnel of the provincial governments of Cotabato and Sarangani, with P51 million and P32.5 million allotments, respectively, for hot meal supplemental feeding.

As of the first quarter of 2024, a total of 83 community-based organizations are already eligible to set contracts with government offices under the NP-CP scheme. 

These groups are under the auspices of DA, DSWD, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Mahintana Foundation Inc., the National Dairy Authority, the National Irrigation Administration, and the Philippine Carabao Center. (DED - PIA Region 12)