TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan—The provincial government announced Thursday the municipalities of Peñablanca and Alcala and Tuguegarao will gain new farm-to-market roads and bridges spanning 17.4 kilometers that would improve residents’ access to markets.
Farm-to-market roads will be built in Barangays Namabbalan Norte, Baluiag, Bical, and Cabbo, while bridges will be erected at Bical, Peñablanca and Barangay Baculud, Masin, Agani, San Esteban, Dalaoig, and Pussian, Alcala.
Gov. Manuel N. Mamba led the groundbreaking ceremony for the projects with Mayor Ben-ben de Guzman of Tuguegarao, Mayor Washington Taguinod and Vice Mayor Marilyn Taguinod of Peñablanca, Regional Director Lucrecio Alviar Jr. of the Department of Agriculture, and Pearlita Lucia Mabasa, concurrent Provincial Agriculturist and Provincial Project Monitoring and Implementing Unit Head.
Mamba said the roads and bridges underscore the importance of concreting and rehabilitating road areas, to improve accessibility and farmers’ linkage to the production and marketing zones of dairy products in the province.
“Farm to market roads will boost the production and marketing activities of the province’ and eventually increase the market shares of farmers on other commodities,” Mamba stressed.
Taguinod expressed his gratitude to the provincial government and the Department of Agriculture for the project.
“With this development, it will be easier and more convenient for the farmers to bring their products to the town proper,” he stressed.
Alviar said the P200 million FMR with bridges under the Cagayan Dairy Enterprise project with the I-Build component will give greater accessibility to farmer beneficiaries in Barangays Namabbalan Norte, Baluiag, Bical and Cabbo.
In Alcala town, the government also conducted a groundbreaking ceremony at Pussian for another I-BUILD subproject.
“Today marks another milestone as we start another infrastructure project, the Alcala East FMR. Many had been asking in the past if this project will be realized. Our endeavor today answers that question,” Alviar said.
The 13.1-kilometer Alcala East road with bridges, built at a total cost of P198 million, traverses Barangays of Baculod, Masin, Agani, Pussian, Dalaoig and San Esteban and is Cagayan’s third subproject.
“This is indeed a very significant day for us here in Alcala and we are so grateful that this long-time project will be realize,” Mayor Criselda Antonio said.
“I thank the different agencies that have made this project possible, the Department of Agriculture and the provincial government of Cagayan. This project will benefit not only our farmers but the populace here,” Antonio added.
“Talking about farm-to-market roads, I would say this is one of the factors leading to development,” Alviar said.
The rehabilitation of the road spanning Baculod, Masin, Agani, San Esteban, Dalaoig and Pussian “it will lessen farmers’ production cost,” he added.
This project “will provide the necessary transportation infrastructure that will boost the production and marketing activities of the province,” the governor said.
“I appeal that being the beneficiaries, help us guard this project because in doing so, you are helping your hometown. The development of this town is also the development of the Province of Cagayan,” Mamba stressed.
The province has now a total of P559 million for the construction of the three FMRs from the Philippine Rural Development Project funds, which excludes the proposed I-REAP subprojects.
“Aside from these three farm-to-market roads, there are other I-REAP subprojects proposed by the province that cater to the dairy commodity,” Mabasa said.