THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has accepted the Senate’s challenge to take the lead in farm-to-market road (FMR) projects amid allegations of misuse of public funds in previous FMR schemes managed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
During a Senate hearing on the proposed budget of the DA on Friday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced the agency’s readiness to take over the construction of critical infrastructure aimed at promoting rural development, raising farmers’ incomes, and ensuring a steady supply of affordable food.
‘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,’ Tiu Laurel said.
Alluding to the controversy now faced by the DPWH on various infrastructure projects, the DA chief added, ‘Instinct tells us to steer clear. To play it safe. But this is no time for hesitation . and so, we rise to meet the moment.’
The DA had explained that even though FMR schemes are identified and validated by the agency, these road projects are commissioned, bid out, and constructed by the DPWH.
Earlier, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian flagged possible overpricing worth over P10 billion in the construction of 70,000 kilometers of roads. He noted that such is enough to build a two-lane highway from Manila to Aparri.
He noted the top 10 ‘extremely overpriced’ FMRs last year, with a project worth P348,432 per meter leading the list. This figure was 96 percent higher than the P15,000 per meter benchmark by the DA.
‘These are roads the nation paid for-yet many of our farmers have yet to walk on them,’ he said.
Gatchalian then welcomed the agency’s decision to take on his challenge to implement the FMR program independently.
He expressed confidence that the DA chief’s private sector experience would help reduce construction costs, allowing the program to cover a wider area.
‘More importantly, this will make it easier to establish accountability.not just within the DA, but across all involved agencies,’ Gatchalian said.
For his part, Senator Francis Pangilinan expressed hope that the DA would do a ‘better job’ in constructing FMRs.
He then lauded the agency’s plan to include a citizen participatory audit in the process, noting that it would enhance transparency and ensure greater public accountability.
‘As they say, in crisis there is opportunity. Hopefully, moving forward, we can make the most out of every peso allocated to the DA and its attached agencies, and ensure that it is money well spent,’ Pangilinan said.
Tiu Laurel clarified, however, that the DA will not do this alone. He vowed to work closely with local government units (LGUs), farmers’ groups, and third-party auditors and surveyors to ensure transparency, accountability, and community alignment.
‘This mandate is too large, too critical, and too prone to misuse to be entrusted to a single agency,’ said Secretary Tiu Laurel. ‘Para sa bayan, hindi namin tatalikuran ang hamon ng panahon,’ he added.