DA sees 20-percent savings in takeover of farm road projects
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is projecting at least 20 percent in savings once it formally takes over the construction of farm-to-market roads (FMRs) starting next year.
In a statement on Wednesday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the DA could slash the cost of building an FMR project to P12 million through internal management and the use of new technologies.
According to him, the cost could further decline “if we use different methods or techniques such as soil stabilizers where it is suitable in certain areas.”
The DA said the cost of building a kilometer-long concrete, two-lane FMR is currently about P15 million.
It initially proposed for next year a P16 billion budget for FMR projects, spanning approximately 1,000 kilometers of rural roads.
Budget doubled
The House of Representatives, however, has doubled the proposed budget allocation to P32 billion following the directive of President Marcos to realign funding for flood-control projects to agricultural infrastructure.
“If Congress allows us under the 2026 national budget, we can use those savings to build more roads, thus helping farmers and fisherfolk cut production costs, reach markets faster, earn more, and ultimately lower food prices,” Tiu Laurel said.
He added that the DA will work closely with local governments, civil society organizations and the Philippine Army’s Corps of Engineers to ensure transparency and speed up the construction of FMRs.
The department’s master plan covers about 131,000 km of potential FMRs nationwide, of which around 70,000 km have been completed.
According to the DA, full completion could take 60 years at the current pace.
Earlier, it announced that it would officially take over from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) all FMR projects beginning next year to address backlogs and ensure timely completion.
Tiu Laurel and Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon met last month to review audits of previous FMR projects and also determine whether some of these were compromised.
The meeting took place following the DA’s commitment to undertake FMR projects during a Senate hearing amid allegations about irregularities in government-funded infrastructure projects, including farm-to-market roads.
