DAR Bicol Assistant Regional Director for Administration Rodrigo O. Realubit during the groundbreaking ceremony for constructing the P100 million farm-to-market road within the Mayon-Southland Guinobatan agrarian reform community in Guinobatan, Albay. (Photo and caption from DAR)
MANILA, Philippines — A new farm-to-market road is set to transform the lives of over 1,500 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ABRs) in Albay.
The upcoming road is designed to benefit agrarian reform beneficiaries, providing improved connections from isolated communities to the market.
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has recently begun constructing a P100 million project to enhance the Calzada-Malabnig-Mapaco-Mauraro road in Mayon-Southland Guinobatan agrarian reform community, totaling 5.6 kilometers.
The DAR and the local government of Guinobatan are funding it.
“This road will help boost the [production] of rice and coconut, the major crops of ARBs here,” said DAR Bicol Region Assistant Regional Director for Administration Rodrigo Realubit.
DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III and Guinobatan Mayor Paul Garcia signed the Memorandum Agreement for the undertaking on December 28, 2022.
Guinobatan was provided 30 percent of the budget upon signing the accord.
The enterprise would give livelihood to local workers.
“ARBs and out-of-school youths will be provided employment opportunities by hiring them as laborers,” the department said.
The FMR is set to be completed within 2023. — Aliah Gumasing, trainee