DA-6 denies ghost projects in FMR program

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Department of Agriculture–Western Visayas (DA-6) Regional Director Dennis R. Arpia assured the public that there are no ghost projects under the region’s farm-to-market road (FMR) program, as the agency anticipates an increase in infrastructure funding in 2026.

Arpia made the statement on the sidelines of a media appreciation event on Dec. 5, saying the DA was informed that its 2026 budget under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) could increase by less than PHP 1 billion following adjustments from reduced flood control allocations.

“For the farm-to-market roads, we cannot give the exact figure yet, but we are expecting the allocation to reach or exceed PHP 1 billion,” Arpia said.

“Even then, that amount is still short of what is needed to efficiently connect production areas to consumption areas,” he added.

He clarified that while the DA identifies the FMR sites and allocates the budget, the implementation is currently handled by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“Based on what we are hearing, we are anticipating that the implementation might be transferred entirely to us,” Arpia said.

“But our plantilla of engineers is not enough to handle a large volume of projects, especially if more than 100 road segments will be constructed nationwide,” he added.

Arpia said DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has directed all regional offices to adopt a participatory monitoring system to ensure that all approved FMR projects are closely tracked and validated.

On Dec. 8, the DA also announced the creation of a watchdog unit to strengthen infrastructure oversight, following national controversies involving flood control projects.

Laurel noted that the DA’s FMR roadmap identifies 131,000 kilometers of needed rural roads across the country.

More than 60,000 kilometers remain unconstructed, underscoring the scale of the work still required to improve agricultural connectivity.