DA calls boost to road funding ‘game-changing’

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said the increase in the proposed allocation for farm-to-market roads (FMRs) to P33 billion for 2026 would be a “game-changing investment” in farm productivity.

The spending plan approved by the bicameral conference committee will increase funding for FMRs from the P16 billion initially proposed under the 2026 National Expenditure Program.

The DA said the funding will expand road access to more farming communities and boost agricultural and countryside development.

Starting next year, the DA will take over supervision of FMR projects from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“The transition is meant to streamline implementation and better align road construction with the needs of farmers and agricultural producers,” the DA said in a statement.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. was quoted in the statement as saying that the DA could deliver FMR projects at about 20% lower cost than the DPWH’s average of P15 million per kilometer, potentially allowing the construction of more roads.

“With a P33-billion budget, we can build about 2,750 kilometers of farm-to-market roads that will lower production and transport costs, raise farmer incomes, and help bring down food prices for consumers,” Mr. Laurel said.

The DA said it is strengthening its engineering capabilities, consulting with local government units and national agencies, and encouraging public participation to ensure projects meet technical standards and are completed on time.

It has also established a new office to oversee agriculture infrastructure projects and is rolling out a digital monitoring portal that will allow the public to track progress in real time.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo M. Lacson has queried the proposed list of FMR projects, asking whether any of the expanded funding was the result of budget insertions by legislators.

The DA said it will only implement “properly vetted and justified” FMR projects.

The DA’s national FMR roadmap identifies the need for 131,000 kilometers of rural roads, more than 60,000 kilometers of which remain unbuilt. The DA said that at current budget levels, completing the network could take at least 21 years. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel