Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday said it is ready to take the lead in implementing the government's farm-to-market road (FMR) projects to help curb corruption.

According to Philippines News Agency, this decision follows a call from lawmakers for the DA to assume responsibility for the FMR projects, which were previously managed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). This suggestion was made during the Senate Committee on Finance hearing on the DA's proposed 2026 budget. The shift in responsibility is largely due to ongoing investigations into alleged anomalies in DPWH-managed infrastructure projects, particularly flood control programs. Finance Committee Chair Senator Win Gatchalian highlighted concerns over potential overpricing in past FMR projects.

Senator Gatchalian specifically pointed to the alleged overpriced construction of a 70,000-kilometer road under the DPWH, suggesting that the funds could have sufficed to build a two-lane highway from Manila to Aparri. This has raised questions about the efficiency and transparency of the previous management of these projects.

In response to these issues, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. expressed the department's readiness to meet the challenge and prioritize the agriculture sector's welfare and food security. Laurel emphasized, "There is no time for hesitation," and reiterated the DA's commitment at the recent Senate hearing on the department's 2026 budget.

The DA plans to collaborate closely with local government units, farmers' groups, third-party auditors, and surveyors. Additionally, the department intends to conduct citizen participatory audits to ensure accountability and transparency in all FMR projects. Laurel asserted, "This mandate is too large, too critical, and too prone to misuse to be entrusted to a single agency. For the nation, we will not back down from the challenge of the times."