By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
With some infrastructure programs being reassigned to other government agencies, the Department of Agriculture (D.A.) noted that it would benefit from approximately 20% savings in construction costs upon taking over the farm-to-market road (FMR) program from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) starting next year.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. said in a statement, “If Congress allows us under the 2026 national budget, we can use those savings to build more roads—helping farmers and fisherfolk cut production costs, reach markets faster, earn more, and ultimately lower food prices.”
Secretary Tiu-Laurel moreover noted the agency’s use of new technologies and internal management measures as pivotal in driving down the cost of building farm roads.
Current costs of building a kilometer of a concrete, two-lane FMR are pegged at approximately P15 million, but can be reduced to P12 million or lower with the use of techniques such as soil stabilizers in certain areas.
The Marcos Jr. administration initially proposed P16 billion for FMR projects in 2026, enough to build roughly 1,000 kilometers of rural roads. The House of Representatives has since doubled that amount to P32 billion, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to realign flood-control funds to prioritize agricultural infrastructure.
This initiative will be undertaken with the Philippine Army’s Corps of Engineers, local governments, and civil society organizations to accelerate connectivity for producers of agricultural commodities, helping to stabilize food prices for consumers.
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