Manila: Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday warned the Department of Agriculture (DA) to overhaul its farm-to-market road (FMR) program or risk losing its PHP16-billion allocation in the proposed 2026 national budget. Speaking at the Kapihan sa Senado, Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, expressed reluctance to approve the FMR funding due to persistent issues of overpricing and inefficiency in the program's implementation by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

According to Philippines News Agency, during Wednesday's budget hearing, Gatchalian revealed that the government lost PHP10.3 billion and nearly 700 kilometers of FMRs between 2023 and 2024 due to overpricing. His office's analysis found that the 10 most overpriced projects in 2024 cost as much as PHP348,432 per meter, far exceeding the PHP10,000 per meter estimate cited by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.

Regions V (Bicol), VIII (Eastern Visayas), and III (Central Luzon) recorded the highest number of overpriced projects, each exceeding PHP30,000 per meter, based on Gatchalian's review. The senator emphasized the importance of ensuring proper implementation of FMR projects in 2026 to prevent the potential reallocation of funds to other areas.

Gatchalian proposed the possibility of transferring the implementation of FMRs from the DPWH to the DA, provided the latter can demonstrate readiness and competence to execute the projects without corruption or wastage. The Senate finance panel continues to scrutinize the DA's infrastructure spending to ensure transparency, accountability, and efficient delivery of agricultural support programs under the 2026 budget.