MANILA, Philippines – Handang manguna ang Department of Agriculture sa konstruksyon ng farm-to-market roads matapos mapag-alaman sa pagdinig sa Senado na ilan sa mga proyekto ng Department of Public Works and Highways para rito ay overpriced umano.
Ayon kay Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. sa pagpapatuloy ng deliberasyon ng Senate Committee on Finance sa proposed 2026 budget ng DA at attached agencies and corporations: “At the last Senate hearing on the Department of Agriculture’s 2026 budget, we were issued a direct challenge—to take charge of farm-to-market road projects ourselves, rather than leave them in the hands of the Department of Public Works and Highways.”
“The concern, as rightly pointed out by the committee chair, lies in the troubling pattern of overpricing and alleged corruption in past infrastructure efforts,” dagdag pa niya.
“Instinct tells us to steer clear, to play it safe. But this is no time for hesitation. The Senate has drawn the line—take on the task, or lose the budget. And so, after consultation with the DA family, we rise to meet the moment,” pagpapatuloy ni Tiu Laurel.
Tinukoy ni Senador Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman ng Senate Committee on Finance, nitong Miyerkules ang mga overpriced FMR projects noong 2023 at 2024 na umaabot sa kabuuang P10.3 bilyon.
Ani Gatchalian, kabilang dito ang nagpapatuloy na proyekto sa Barangay San Roque sa Tacloban City, Leyte na ikinokonsiderang “most overpriced project” sa halagang P348,432 per meter.
“This amount is enough to construct a two-lane highway from Manila to Aparri. This is no minor discrepancy. These are roads the nation paid for—yet many of our farmers have yet to walk on them,” ayon sa DA chief.
“If we’re going to build roads, they must lead to farms, not fraud,” dagdag pa niya.
Dahil dito ay nangako si Tiu Laurel na makikipag-ugnayan sa lokal na pamahalaan, farmers’ group at independent auditors at third-party surveyors kasunod ng paghawak nila sa mga FMR project. RNT/JGC
