DA probes ‘ghost’ farm-to-market roads in Albay, Camarines Sur
Two suspected “ghost” farm-to-market road (FMR) projects in Albay and Camarines Sur provinces, prompted the Department of Agriculture (DA) to launch a nationwide investigation after identifying irregularities in recent infrastructure initiatives.
“The department is now conducting a deeper investigation, including a review of project documents, funding releases and coordination with concerned agencies, to determine accountability and prevent similar anomalies in future infrastructure initiatives,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement on Monday.
According to Tiu Laurel, initial findings from the DA’s Internal Audit Service showed that the FMR project in Barangay Lower Binogsacan, Guinobatan town, Albay, was not implemented at its approved site.
“Our auditors were told the road had been relocated upon the request of the former district representative in April 2021, citing unspecified right-of-way and environmental constraints that supposedly hindered the project,” the agriculture chief said.
Timeline questioned
The project site featured a road marker labeled “2019 FMR,” which typically indicates the project’s completion year, raising further questions about its timeline and authenticity.
Inspectors also visited another FMR project in Camarines Sur that was “notably overpriced” at P14.6 million. The project included a one-lane section spanning 74.3 meters and a two-lane section of 32 meters.
“This is exactly why we are strengthening oversight of FMR projects,” Tiu Laurel said. “Farmers deserve infrastructure that actually exists—and works.”
The DA is the lead implementing agency for FMR projects starting this year. Under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, the agency has been allocated a P33-billion budget to construct FMR projects across the country.
Earlier, the agency launched the FMR transparency portal, allowing stakeholders to monitor projects in the pipeline.
