The Department of Agriculture, or DA, announced Monday the creation of the Interim Social and Environmental Safeguards, a dedicated watchdog unit to ensure the responsible execution of infrastructure programs, particularly farm-to-market roads, or FMRs.
The role of tracking the progress of farm infrastructure reverted back to the DA from the Department of Public Works and Highways, or DPWH, starting next year.
“The recent controversy surrounding flood control projects underscores why we need a strong safeguards system. We cannot afford gray areas or blind spots. This watchdog unit ensures that every DA project is transparent, accountable, and fully aligned with environmental and social standards,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr.
The national FMR roadmap details 131,000 kilometers of needed rural roads, but over 60,000 kilometers haven’t been built.
The Interim Social and Environmental Safeguards will institutionalize accountability by integrating safeguards tools, including environmental assessments and social risk reviews, into all DA offices, bureaus, and regional field units.
The infrastructure watchdog will be responsible for crafting a department-wide institutionalization roadmap, harmonizing standards and embedding safeguards into project procurement, and ensuring compliance with national regulations and development-partner requirements.
The unit will work closely with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, and the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, as well as key financing partners such as the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, following a World Bank recommendation to create permanent safeguards positions to ensure continuity and consistent oversight.
At the national level, the Interim Social and Environmental Safeguards Unit will be led by a supervisor and senior specialists, while regional field offices will form their own teams led by junior specialists.
The DA aims to minimize risks and close compliance gaps to advance “sustainable, accountable, and community-protective” agricultural development.
