LEGAZPI CITY, Albay (PIA) — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has completed and turned over two major farm-to-market road (FMR) projects worth P150 million to the municipalities of Guinobatan and Camalig in Albay.
Mark Mendoza, officer-in-charge of the DAR Project Management Service, highlighted the significance of the projects as part of the government’s broader efforts to collaborate with local government units in providing support services to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).
“The mandate of DAR is not only to distribute lands but also to deliver essential support services, including the construction of FMRs and the distribution of farm machinery and equipment, among others,” Mendoza stated during the turnover ceremony.
The newly constructed roads will provide farmers with faster and more efficient transportation for their goods, while also offering residents improved travel convenience. The FMRs are expected to benefit a total of 1,042 ARBs, 15,097 individuals, and 3,090 households, according to Maria Eugenia Alteza, provincial agrarian reform program officer for Albay.
“These roads will facilitate the smooth flow of agricultural products and provide ease of movement for the local communities,” Alteza added.
The P100 million road project in Guinobatan and the P50 million road project in Polangui were funded under the Agrarian Reform Fund for 2022 and 2023. The Guinobatan road spans 2.293 kilometers (km), covering the barangays of Malabnig, Mapaco, and Mauraro, while the 1.97-km road in Polangui passes through barangays Itaran, Sitio San Luis, and Lourdes.
Josefina Tabayag, a 70-year-old resident of Barangay Itaran, expressed her gratitude for the new road, which she said will significantly improve the transportation of their agricultural products.
“Thanks to the government for this cemented road. It’s now easier for us to take our products to town. We will be more industrious and united to increase production and improve our livelihood,” said Tabayag.
The completion of these FMRs was seen as a key step toward enhancing the economic welfare of the local agricultural communities and strengthening their access to broader markets, Alteza said. (PIA5/Albay)
