Cagayan valley: More than 2,500 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela have gained faster access to markets, lower transportation costs, and improved delivery of agricultural products with the completion of the Department of Agrarian Reform's (DAR) PHP202 million worth of farm-to-market road (FMR) projects in the Cagayan Valley region.
According to Philippines News Agency, the DAR announced that these completed road projects are part of the rural development agenda led by Secretary Conrado Estrella III. The initiative is designed to enhance farm productivity and improve connectivity in agrarian communities across the nation.
The newly completed roads cover a total of 11.76 km and are expected to assist farmers in transporting their produce more efficiently, reducing hauling costs, and providing easier access to markets and essential services. Among the projects is a PHP50 million investment in farm-to-market roads in Pata West and Pata East in Claveria, Cagayan, benefiting 127 ARBs.
In Isabela, a PHP15 million road connecting Sitio Annaronan, San Antonio, and Antagan in Cabagan has improved access for transporting agricultural products and farm supplies for 143 ARBs. Additionally, a PHP25 million road project linking Victoria and San Jose in Mallig has enhanced mobility for 221 ARBs while strengthening connections among neighboring farming communities.
Further road networks connecting San Miguel and Caliguian, and San Manuel and Catabban in Burgos, Isabela, have benefited approximately 900 ARBs. In Ilagan City, the completion of the Capellan CIS and Arusip-Siffu FMRs has served about 1,300 ARBs.
The DAR stated that infrastructure expansion in Cagayan Valley is ongoing, with around 13 additional FMRs being implemented across the region. These new projects span 19.34 km and involve a total investment of PHP252.5 million. Aside from road construction, a PHP30 million slope-protection project is underway to safeguard road infrastructure and nearby communities from erosion and other environmental risks.
The DAR has also secured approval for two solar-powered irrigation projects in Isabela worth PHP50 million, along with another PHP25 million FMR project in Cagayan. Secretary Estrella emphasized that, beyond improved market access and farm productivity, the ongoing rollout of DAR infrastructure projects is anticipated to strengthen rural economies in agrarian communities nationwide.
