P39M Farm-to-Market Road in Milaor Completed

MILAOR, Camarines Sur, July 28- The Department of Agriculture (DA) had recently completed the construction of a 15.4-kilometer farm-to-market road (FMR) in this farming town that would benefit over 2,000 hectares of farmlands and about 2,000 households.

Built under the DA's Infrastructure for Rural Productivity Enhancement Sector (InfRES) to promote sustainable gains in production, increase income and reduce poverty in the rural areas, the road was built for P39.29 million through the national government and Asian Development Bank, according to Jose Dayao, the DA's regional executive director for Bikol.

The project includes eight road sections covering barangays Dalipay, Capucnasan, Mayawpayawan, Cabugao, Maydaso, Maycotmon and San Antonio here. It opened convenient access for 1,919 households and easy transport of products from 2,003 hectares of farmlands in the area, Dayao said.

The InfRES project aims to increase rural incomes with distributional gains favoring the poor areas with high agricultural potential thru three components namely: improved rural infrastructure; capacity building for devolved project implementation and project management and coordination, he said.

Likewise, the implementation of various InfRES projects particularly the construction of farm-to-market roads in rural areas would spur agricultural development and uplift the economic conditions of the people especially the farming sector, Dayao said.

"Delivery of basic services will be hastened and markets would be made easily accessible for farm products," he added.

The government had released P247 million last year for the construction and rehabilitation of some 101 kilometers of FMR in the Bikol region.

These projects have generated a total of 2,175 jobs for the local force and benefiting more than 9,342 hectares or 9,961 farmers.

For 2009, P144 million was allocated for Bikol and this amount is projected to complete 82 kilometers of FMR and generate an additional 2,108 jobs. It has an influence area of 7,055 hectares benefiting 5,640 farmers and fisherfolks, Dayao said.

The completed Milaor FMR project was turned over last week to the local government here presently under the administration of town Mayor Rogelio Flores who said during the turn-over rites that the newly constructed road will be a great help for the nearly 10,000 residents in the seven barangays it serves.

Present during the turn-over rites were InfRES project director Jesus Emmanuel Paras, project management specialist Robert de Kruff, project manager Roy Abaya, Dayao, Flores and several other LGU officials. (PNA)