TACLOBAN CITY — Residents of two farming villages in Tacloban City are set to benefit from improved road infrastructure as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) begin the construction of two farm-to-market roads (FMRs). The groundbreaking rites were held on Monday last week, March 11, marking the commencement of the projects.
The DPWH has started the construction of a three-kilometer road in Barangay Camansihay and simultaneously initiated the rehabilitation of a 1.4-kilometer lane in Barangay Sto. Niño. These projects, with a combined cost of ₱96 million, are funded under DAR’s Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF).
Ismael Aya-ay, DAR Assistant Regional Director for Administration and Program Beneficiaries Development Division, represented DAR Eastern Visayas regional director, Robert Anthony Yu, in the groundbreaking ceremony. Aya-ay highlighted that the construction of FMRs is a priority agenda of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Agrarian Secretary Conrado Estrella III to encourage agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) to increase their production and help them in transporting their harvests to the market.
DAR ensures that the needs of its ARBs are met, from infrastructure to capacity building and enterprise development.
Tacloban City District Engineer, Rebecca Yuse, directed the contractors of the two projects to complete them before the city Fiesta in June, enabling farmers in these areas to bring their harvests to the market.
Barangay Camansihay Chairman, Adan Esmeres, expressed gratitude, stating, “This road was started during the time of President Marcos (Sr.). It is only now that this road is being continued. That is why we are very grateful to the DAR that this farm-to-market road is now being realized.”
Esmeres added, “This is a big blessing for us that this farm-to-market road is being implemented here in Barangay Camansihay.” He estimated that nearly 5,000 residents in his village would benefit from this project. | With Jose Alsmith L. Soria
