DA eyes to start construction of farm-to-market roads by April 2026

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is aiming to kickstart the implementation of farm-to-market (FMR) road projects by April this year.

Under the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the DA gets an allocation of P33 billion to construct 2,300 kilometers of new FMRs all over the country.

“For 2026, we are expecting to begin the construction of those roads by April this year,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said, in Filipino, at the official launch of the “FMR Watch” Transparency Portal in Quezon City on Friday.

DA-Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE) Director Cristy Polido said the agency is also expecting to start implementation of FMR once the implementing guidelines are completed.

“We would be able to finish our implementing guidelines by mid-February…and then we will submit it to the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) from then on the funds will be released, then the implementation moves forward,” Polido said.

The Agriculture chief said the DA is consulting with the contractors association for final costing as well as coordinating with local government units (LGUs) interested in partnering with the agency in implementing FMR projects.

Tiu Laurel said the budget of P33 billion for FMR projects “will be implemented in two years.”

He said that for “shovel-ready” projects, “we endeavor from start to finish…[done] for a maximum of one year.”

The Agriculture chief added that FMR projects which were put on hold in 2025 would be implemented “partly this year.”

Polido said the BAFE will implement FMR projects at an indicative price of P15 million per kilometer.

“We could reduce it by 20% to around P12 million,” she said.

The BAFE has been designated to lead the nationwide implementation of FMR projects. 

“Centralizing responsibility under BAFE is intended to ensure consistent engineering standards, particularly in agricultural heartlands where road quality directly affects farm incomes, logistics efficiency, and access to markets,” the Agriculture chief said.

“Farm-to-market road implementation was returned to the Department of Agriculture not because we are perfect, but because we are determined to be transparent—with everyone’s help and cooperation,” he said.

“These roads are not just asphalt and concrete. They lower production costs, raise farm incomes, reduce food prices, and support long-term rural development,” he added.

Meanwhile, the FMR Watch portal was established by the BAFE to “ensure public funds translate into real, durable access for farmers and fisherfolk to lower production costs and better income as well as lasting rural development and food security.”

The platform enables stakeholders to track projects from proposal to completion by integrating official records from the Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering Management Information System with budget data, construction milestones, geotagged photos, and citizen feedback.

Apart from data on the progress of FMRs, the public can also upload complaints through the portal.

All public comments are automatically acknowledged and forwarded for verification and action, typically within three days, depending on complexity.

FMR Watch has tracked 4,810 projects undertaken between 2021 and 2025, with a combined investment of P76.52 billion and coverage of nearly 2,400 kilometers of roads nationwide. 

Of these, 3,135 projects have been completed. 

“This is a digital flashlight. Farmers, fisherfolk, LGUs, and citizen watchdogs can see where roads should be, how projects are progressing, and whether implementation meets standards. There are no smoke and mirrors—only maps, data, and accountability,” Tiu Laurel said, referring to the FMR Watch portal.

The Agriculture chief said the portal was also aimed at restoring public trust in the government.

“When public funds build real roads instead of private fortunes, everyone benefits—farmers and consumers alike,” he said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News