DA creates watchdog for FMR monitoring

The Department of Agriculture has created a watchdog that will guarantee the responsible implementation of infrastructure programs, particularly farm-to-market roads. 

“The recent controversy surrounding flood control projects underscores why we need a strong safeguards system,” DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a press release Monday. 

“We cannot afford gray areas or blind spots. This watchdog unit ensures that every DA project is transparent, accountable, and fully aligned with environmental and social standards,'' he added. 

Tiu Laurel noted that the national FMR roadmap details 131,000 kilometers of needed rural roads, but over 60,000 kilometers are still yet to be built. 

These roads are vital for lowering transport costs, reducing post-harvest losses, and enhancing the movement of products from farms to markets.

Meanwhile, the DA is also expanding its infrastructure with food hubs, cold storage facilities, and rice mills. 

France has also pledged support for around 300 steel bridges in 52 provinces, with the aim to improve access for farmers in remote areas, according to the DA. 

Oversight will be strengthened under the DA’s newly formed Interim Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) Unit, which was created through an administrative directive. 

This unit institutionalizes safeguards tools first developed under the World Bank–supported Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP). 

These tools include environmental assessments, social risk reviews, and stakeholder engagement protocols that will be integrated into all DA offices, bureaus, attached agencies, and regional field units as the department ramps up climate-resilient programs.—AOL, GMA Integrated News