No more 'palakasan' system in farm-to-market road projects, says Marcos

Amid the reported ''ghost'' farm-to-market road projects in some parts of the country, President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. underscored that ''palakasan'' system would not be allowed in these FMR projects. 

Marcos said this on Tuesday as he led the inauguration of the Union Water Impounding Dam in Barangays Union and Cadcadir in Claveria, Cagayan. The project is in line with his administration's goal of improving the irrigation system's resilience and sustainability.

In his message before local farmers there, Marcos said his administration has already crafted a farm-to-market road plan, with the aim of ensuring food security in the country. 

''Pupuntahan din natin ang mga mayor natin, ang mga governor para itanong kung 'yung plano namin ay maganda, kung tama ang dinadaanan nung farm-to-market roads, kung ano 'yung suggestion nila,'' Marcos said.

(We will also go to our mayors and governors to ask them if our plan was good, if our plan on farm-to-market roads was good, whatever their suggestion is...)

''At 'yun ang sinusunod natin na plano eh, hindi lang 'yung kagaya dati na palakasan lang, 'yung nakikiusap lang, oh lagyan ko farm-to-market ito... Pag medyo kaibigan, pag medyo kapartido, oh sige approved. Walang plano. Kung minsan kung saan-saan napupunta ang farm-to-market roads eh. Hindi naman ito nakakatulong sa ating mga magsasaka,'' he added.

(We are following that plan. And there's no palakasan system wherein if someone is your friend or party-mate, the farm-to-market road project is immediately approved even if there's no plan. Sometimes these farm-to-market roads do not hep our farmers.) 

Earlier, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said that the P105 million worth of alleged ghost farm-to-market road projects in Mindanao would be investigated by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Public Works and Highways.

According to the DA, the seven “ghost” farm-to-road projects cost about P105 million, which were supposedly undertaken from 2021 to 2023. The agency's audit focused on FMR projects that were reportedly completed but nowhere to be found. 

Meanwhile, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) collaborated with the DPWH under the convergence program called ‘Katubigan’ or Kalsada Tungo sa Patubigan Program, which aims to enhance irrigation service roads and provide additional support to local agriculture.

Among the key projects of this program is the Construction of Small Reservoir Impounding Project’ (SRIP) in Claveria, Cagayan, addressing critical infrastructure needs and environmental challenges.—AOL, GMA Integrated News