PRESS INFORMATION KIT
What is Emergency Rice Support Project (ERSP)
- In light of socioeconomic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, KOICA approved the Emergency Rice Support Project to benefit poor and vulnerable households in Metro Manila and neighboring areas affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine.
- This project is an initiative of Embassy of Korea in the Philippines under the leadership of Ambassador Han Dong Man through Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Philippine Office.
- KOICA commits to provide funds for the consolidation of two hundred (200) tons or two hundred thousand (200,000) kilograms of milled rice; The project aims to benefit estimated 33,334 households in Metro Manila.
- The Municipal Local Government Unit of San Miguel (Iloilo) commits to undertake the procurement and purchase of KOICA together with local project partners (from Panay Island Upland Sustainable Rural Development Project (PIUSRDP) and Iloilo Rice Processing Center)
- The procured rice will be turned over to Department of Social and Welfare and Development (DSWD)for distribution. Turnover Ceremony is scheduled on 17 July 2020 at DSWD National Resource Operation Center (NROC).
- The 2nd phase of the project amounting to 200,000USD is currently being planned and set to be implemented in partnership with Municipal Government of San Miguel and San Miguel Farmers’ Agriculture Cooperative.
Project Partners
| Fund Source | Korean Government through: Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines and Korea International Cooperation Agency |
| Philippine Partner Agencies | DSWD(Logistics) LGU of San Miguel, Iloilo (Consolidation of Rice Supplies and Logistics) DA-RFO 6 (Technical support, Quality Control and Assurance) |
| Rice Suppliers: (Local Farmer Cooperatives in Panay Island) San Miguel Farmers Agriculture Cooperative Kalipunan ng Mga Magsasaka ng PatnongonJamindan Multipurpose CooperativeSIDC Tapaz, CapizIloilo Rice Processing Complex |
What are the important features of ERSP?
Procurement of locally-produced rice
- DSWSD NROC revealed that the Government of South Korea, through this project, is the first foreign-aid country to donate locally-produced rice, benefitting both Filipino farmers from Panay Island, and poor and vulnerable households in Metro Manila and neighboring areas affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine.
- As per report from project partners, the price of rice offered to local farmers is around 25% higher compared to usual traders’ price.
Enabling Public-Private Partnership and profound social impact
- Collaboration between local agriculture or farmers’ cooperatives and government agencies.
- Empowering small agriculture cooperatives by providing fund to allow consolidation of rice supplies within the community.
- Enhancing value and supply chain by offering more reasonable price to farmers.
KOICA’s programs in response to COVID-19 pandemic
| Program Title | Overview | |
| 1 | Emergency Rice Support Project (ERSP) | Provision of funds for the procurement of 200 Metric Tons locally-produced rice that will benefit 33,334 households |
| 2 | Support to vulnerable communities in Tondo, Manila | Provision of funds for the procurement of masks to vulnerable areas of Tondo, Manila and marginalized groups |
| 3 | Support to Cavite Government thru Korea-Philippines Friendship Hospital | Provision of funds for the procurement of PPEs and medicines |
Ambassador’s comment
“The Korean government is providing US$2.2 million worth of testing kits, masks, work-through diagnostic facilities, and capacity building for COVID19 Diagnosis Specialized Hospital to help the Philippine government in the COVID19 crisis,”
“Korea will continuously expand bilateral aid projects in the public health and social development sectors to contribute to the effort of Philippine government for overcoming the COVID19 crisis.”
Ms. Lee Mi-kyung KOICA President’s comment
“The most damaged group in this crisis is economically marginalized and socially vulnerable people. It is urban poor and rural poor. We came up with this project to help them at the same time”
“To that end, KOICA were able to help rural poor and urban poor together with the local farmers’ organization which was established by KOICA projects. San Miguel Farmers’ Cooperative in Iloilo for purchasing rice, Pototan Rice Processing Complex for processing rice and Panay Local Food Terminal for delivering rice are wonderful partners to KOICA to accomplish this emergency support”
KOICA Projects
KOICA has supported rural development projects in Iloilo, Philippines, for more than 10 years since 2009. They are Iloilo Pototan Rice Processing Complex (2009-2012) and Panay Island Highland Rural Development Project (2015-2019). In the case of Panay Rural Development Project, the average production rate of major crops increased by 100% and the average annual income of farming households increased by 74% after the completion of the project. The Department of Agriculture of the Philippines selected KOICA as the best project among the ODA projects implemented by foreign aid agencies in 2018. KOICA has selected Iloilo as a special zone for agricultural cooperation projects and plans to focus on smart agriculture in the future.
Fresh vegetables and other local products, for orders please contact 09501634326 / 09661642356 (San Miguel Local Food Terminal)
