Starting 2026, the Department of Agriculture (DA) will take charge of developing farm-to-market roads (FMRs), a responsibility currently held by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), to ensure a more agriculture-focused approach in building rural infrastructure.
In a meeting Tuesday, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon reviewed audit results of completed FMR projects and discussed the pending constructions scheduled for 2025. The DPWH has proposed a catch-up plan to finish around 1,000 kilometers of roads before the turnover.
“These roads are badly needed by our farmers and fisherfolk. They will ease livelihoods, lower production costs, and give farmers more time with their families,” Tiu Laurel said.
Dizon added that innovative measures will be introduced to accelerate construction. “We must think outside the box to ensure these roads are completed as quickly as possible. Local government units will be engaged, similar to our approach with classrooms,” he said.
The transition aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to deliver infrastructure projects more efficiently and cost-effectively. The 2025 catch-up plan will also serve as the model for DA’s implementation moving forward.
At a recent Senate hearing, Tiu Laurel revealed that the country still faces a backlog of about 60,000 kilometers of FMRs — a target that could take six decades to complete at the current pace.
To address this, the DA plans to explore new construction technologies and collaborate with the Department of National Defense, tapping the Army Corps of Engineers for road building and rehabilitation.
Dizon noted that 4,000 kilometers of FMRs have been constructed in recent years, although nearly 1,000 kilometers remain under review for possible administrative or legal action.
