The Department of Agriculture in Caraga Region (DA-13) has begun the construction of two farm-to-market roads (FMRs) worth PHP134 million inside an ancestral domain in Agusan del Sur.
DA-13 kicked off the project with a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday inside Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) 078 in Rosario town.
The project covers the concreting of the 3.7-kilometer Purok 6, Cabantao-Gwahon-Redline, Maligaya FMR worth PHP80 million.
It also includes the 2.8-kilometer Purok Octie to Bahi FMR valued at PHP54 million for Manobo communities in the area.
“The FMR projects aim to primarily support the coconut industry of the Manobo tribe inside their ancestral domain,” the Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project (MIADP) said.
MIADP added that the concreted roads will cut transport costs, improve road safety, and boost economic activity.
DA-13 Director Arlan Mangelen and MIADP Deputy Project Director Noel Provido led the groundbreaking with Rosario local officials.
Mangelen said the new roads will help farmers expand their production capacity and support food security goals.
Provido said the project relies on the commitment of the Rosario local government, which provides 10 percent of the project equity.
Manobo leader Hawudon Gawahon II Emiliano Pugosa thanked the government, saying the roads will bring opportunities and hope to tribal communities.
MIADP data show that more than 15,000 residents, mostly Indigenous People farmers cultivating 373 hectares of coconut farmland, are expected to benefit from the project.
