PEOPLE BEHIND THE Department of Agriculture (DA) are not taking chances in view of the overwhelming evidence hounding an agency in charge of undertaking infrastructure projects — like roads intended for farmers.
According to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, he has already signed an order for a comprehensive audit of farm-to-markets road projects that the DPWH bidded out covering 2021 until 2025.
“With what is happening now in flood control projects, I ordered an audit of all FMR projects from 2021 to 2025. If there are any issues in these agricultural road projects, I will have to report that to President Marcos,” Laurel said.
The audit, he added, is meant to ensure farm-to-market roads serve its purpose — “linking farmers to markets, rather than becoming farm-to-pocket projects,” reads part of a statement issued by the agriculture department.
SINAG BACKS UP LAUREL
The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) backed the initiative, even as the group described such an order as a crucial step to protect public funds and ensure accountability.
“The SINAG supports the initiative of DA Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel to audit all farm-to-market road (FMR) projects,” Executive Director Jayson Cainglet said in a separate statement.
As of July, the DPWH has completed 70,000 kilometers of farm-to-market roads across the country.
This leaves around 61,000 km in backlogs or pending validation out of the 131,000 km target under the government’s roadmap.
Under the scheme, the DA identifies and validates road projects, while the DPWH handles bidding and construction.
UPHOLD ACCOUNTABILITY
Cainglet also urged the government to prosecute those behind irregular projects and return the funds allegedly misused.
“Today, we are witnessing yet another massive scheme: the flood control and public infrastructure kleptocracy —a racket of unprecedented scale and brazenness,” he averred.
Cainglet also lauded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s political will in exposing alleged infrastructure abuses and creating mechanisms for investigation.
“These roads are meant to connect production areas to markets,” Laurel further said, adding that the audit would have been completed before the year ends.
DA’S FUND ALLOCATION
Of the P56 billion budget DA sought for farm-to-market roads, only P16 billion had been earmarked.
The government targets to complete a 131,000-kilometer road network, of which 70,000 kilometers have been built, leaving 61,000 kilometers pending validation.
Laurel urged lawmakers to align site selection with agricultural priorities and recommended narrower 3-meter roads with shoulders every 300 meters to reduce costs and expand coverage.
“We must make sure they are done properly, that taxpayers’ money was spent to provide farmers with market access and not squandered for farm-to-pocket projects,” he added.