Paoay: The construction of a PHP101-million concrete bridge in Paoay, Ilocos Norte officially started following a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday. Funded under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) Scale-Up, the project is expected to significantly benefit farmers in the villages of Callaguip, Cayubog, Masintoc, and Oaig-Upay-Abulao.

According to Philippines News Agency, by enhancing connectivity, the bridge will reduce transportation costs and facilitate the timely delivery of various agricultural commodities - including rice, corn, garlic, onion, and vegetables, mango, shrimp, malaga, bangus, and tilapia - to markets. "This has been a long time dream of our municipality particularly among our farmers and fisherfolk of Callaguip and Cayubog," Paoay Mayor Shiella Galano told the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday.

Galano said the multi-million-peso project will pave the way towards improving agricultural productivity and market access for farmers and fisherfolk in the municipality. The project is expected to be completed in 584 days. Of the total amount, the Department of Agriculture and the local government unit of Paoay shelled out 10 percent each, while the remaining 80 percent will come from the World Bank.

Paoay has already reaped the benefits of two previous PRDP infrastructure projects: the rehabilitation of the Nalasin-Sungadan-Langiden farm-to-market road and the rehabilitation of the Paoay communal irrigation system.