DA defers procurement for farm-to-market roads to May due to costing adjustments

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is deferring the start of procurement activities for its implementation of farm-to-market road (FMR) projects by May due to costing adjustments amid price pressures caused by the global oil crisis.

“The challenge now is, because the price of fuel is rising, we cannot finalize the costing per kilometer of FMRs so we are closely coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to standardize the price,” DA Undersecretary for Agri-Industrial Marine Systems Arrey Perez told reporters in a chance interview.

“We are expecting that by May, we will begin the procurement process for this,” Perez added.

The DA was aiming to kickstart the construction of FMR projects, which it took over from the DPWH amid the flood control corruption scandal, in April this year with procurement targeted a month prior. 

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 his part, DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said costing adjustments are necessary to ensure that the bidding of FMR projects will not fail.

“If we will use the previous costing scheme, it may result in failed bidding… so we need to adjust to ensure that our procurement and implementation will be successful,” De Mesa said.

Perez, nonetheless, said there will be no delay in implementation since the validity of the budget is two years.

The DA undersecretary added the standard practice for infrastructure projects is that construction begins on the second or third quarter of a year and are expected to be finished in the following year. — RSJ, GMA News