The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Department of Agriculture (DA) embarks on a road network project in Zamboanga del Sur to connect remote barangays to bigger markets to raise income, productivity and competitiveness in targeted areas and spur economic growth.
Under DA’s Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), longer road networks will be laid in the towns of Josefina, Mahayag, Molave, Ramon Magsaysay and Tukuran with a total budget of P310.77 million, covering a total length of 30.1 kilometers, according to Assistant Regional Director Maria Melba B. Wee during a press briefing.
“This is a triumvirate approach, the funding source and the project monitoring include the World Bank, the national government and participating local government units,” Wee said.
She added that the project is implemented under the Intensified Building up of Infrastructure and Logistics for Development (I-BUILD) Component, and the provincial government is shelling out its counterpart of only 10% of the project cost.
The said projects will directly benefit 9,425 households who are mostly small farm holders as one of the objectives of the project is to uplift farmers and fisherfolk in the countryside.
Ramon Magsaysay and Tukuran road network will cover 11.88 kilometers and traverse the barangays of Gapasan, Laperian, Buenasuerte, Sambulawan and Navalan.
Another road network which recently started covers the towns of Josefina, Mahayag and Molave, measuring a total length of 18.22 kilometers and amounting to P206.91 million. It will cover the upland barangays of Gumahan, Leonardo and Lower Bag-ong Tudela in Josefina town; Barangay Diwan in Mahayag town; and Barangays Gonosan, Parasan, Mabuhay, Culo and Sudlon in Molave.
These road networks support the commodities identified by the province under its Provincial Commodity Investment Plan including cassava, rubber, coconut, abaca and cacao.
“All these commodities have been supported by Value Chain Analysis and other science-based tools required by PRDP,” said Wee.
Wee said that the projects in Zamboanga del Sur are part of the P1.11 billion fund earmarked for the whole region of Zamboanga Peninsula for 15 projects under I-BUILD. The region targets a total of 95.9 kilometers for FMR including a bridge measuring 28.6 meters in Mabuhay town, Zamboanga Sibugay.
To date, PRDP in Zamboanga Peninsula has completed four farm-to-market roads in the towns of Buug, RT Lim and Talusan, all in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay.