The completion of 8.938-kilometer strategic farm-to-market road (FMR) connects and provides easier transport of goods at a lesser cost.to farmers and residents Mountain Province, Benguet and Ilocos Sur.
Inaugurated and turned over last Thursday, July 29, the FMR, amounting to PhP98.54 million, is the first segment of the improvement of Besao-Nacawang and Tadian-Mabalite, segment 2, FMR subproject implemented under the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) and the provincial local government of Mountain Province.
The road is now serving around 18,357 individuals from the different barangays of Besao and Tadian including the municipality of Quirino, Ilocos Sur.
Mountain Province Governor Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. thanked the DA for the countless interventions that were given to the province including the completed and ongoing PRDP infrastructure and enterprise subprojects.
“We have allotted PhP8 million for the maintenance/improvement of this road and we assure you that we will do our part in maintaining this road so that it will always be safe, passable and make its service areas accessible,” he said.
DA-CAR OIC Regional Executive Director Cameron P. Odsey explained that the subproject originally covers the whole stretch of Besao to Mabalite, Tadian, but was separated into two segments due to some constraints.
“It didn’t go as planned, but at least this segment is now complete and construction works for the second segment already started,” Odsey said.
DA-PRDP North Luzon Deputy Project Director Elma S. Mananes also hopes for the improvement of the second segment, the Tadian-Mabalite road, to be completed by next year.
(Elvy T. Estacio DA-PRDP)