The Eastern Visayas region marks a historic milestone with the approval of the Eastern Visayas Banana Processing and Marketing Enterprise (EVBPME)—the first subproject in the entire Visayas Cluster to be awarded a No Objection Letter 1 (NOL1) for 2025. The Php237-million enterprise, implemented by the Omaganhan Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative (OFMPC), signals a new era of agribusiness innovation and inclusive rural development under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), Regional Project Coordination Office 8 (RPCO8).

Approved this September 29, 2025, the EVBPME represents a major stride toward transforming the banana industry in Leyte and the greater Eastern Visayas area. The project will directly benefit 679 banana farmers organized into 27 clusters across the municipalities of San Isidro, Tabango, and Villaba, who will now be integrated into a large-scale, market-driven production and processing enterprise.

At the heart of this project is the OFMPC, a cooperative with decades of experience in agrarian reform and rural enterprise management. Building on its successful ventures in banana chip production and marketing, the cooperative now seeks to scale up operations through the establishment of a modern banana processing facility in Villaba, Leyte. This facility will house automated processing equipment, adopt Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and implement sustainable innovations such as solar-powered operations and digital inventory systems.

The Department of Agriculture and the PRDP management lauded this achievement as a significant step toward regional competitiveness and farmer empowerment. With the NOL1 approval paving the way for fund download and implementation, the EVBPME now stands as a model for enterprise clustering, innovation, and sustainability in the region.

As the first subproject in Visayas to receive NOL1 in 2025, EVBPME sets a proud precedent for other farmer organizations striving toward modernization and market integration. The success of the Omaganhan Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative demonstrates that with collective effort, innovation, and institutional support, local enterprises can lead the way toward a more resilient and prosperous agri-based economy.

The entire PRDP-RPCO8 team extends its congratulations to the Omaganhan Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative, the local government of Villaba, and all partner agencies for this remarkable achievement that continues to uplift farmers and communities across Eastern Visayas.