The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Nueva Ecija Second District Engineering Office has completed the construction of a farm-to-market road (FMR) in Barangay Sta. Arcadia, Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija which is seen to provide a better road network and increase productivity among the farmer-residents.

District Engineer Elpidio Y. Trinidad said on Wednesday the newly-completed project will hasten the transport of agricultural products and increase opportunities for local farmers.

“We hope that this project will help hasten the transportation of harvested goods by our farmers in Sta. Arcadia, and we are certain that this project will also bring improvement to their livelihood. We also hope to provide safe travel to other motorists traversing the area,” Trinidad said in a social media post.

The 3.13-kilometer project was made possible through the convergence program of the DPWH and Department of Agriculture (DA), with funding amounting to PHP12.2 million sourced from the General Appropriations Act of 2021.

Farmers and residents thanked the DPWH and DA for the successful implementation of the project.

Jose A. Escuadro, who has been a resident of the area for 50 years, shared the difficulties they experienced when the road was still in poor condition.

“Kapag panahon ng tag-ulan halos hindi na mapasok ng sasakyan. Talagang kariton ang pinanghihila. Pero ngayon na naging semento na medyo tumulin ang transport dito at guminhawa kaming mga magsasaka. Kung lahat sana ng magiging [daanan] ng magsasaka ay ganito mas tutulin ang proseso ng pangkabuhayan ng mga magsasakang katulad ko (During rainy season, no vehicle could enter except for carts that were being used to pull our produce. But now that the road is already cemented, the transport of goods is a bit faster and more convenient for us farmers. If all the roads is similar to this, the process of making a livelihood by farmers like me becomes faster),” Escuadro said.

Lourdes V. Nacis, a local farmer, also recounted her experiences when the road was not yet developed.

“Maputik, binabaha noong hindi pa sementado. Kapag bumabaha, parang sapa ‘yan. Nababalahaw yung mga sasakyan. Nagpapasalamat kami dahil naayos yung kalsada namin. Naging mabilis na kaming makalabas at pag merong itatakbo sa doktor, mabilis nakakalabas yung mga tricycle (It was muddy and flooded when it was not yet cemented. When flooded, it was like a stream. The vehicles got stuck in mud. We are thankful that the road is now paved. We are able to go out faster and in case we are going to bring someone to the doctor, our tricycle can move faster),” Nacis said.

Last year, three farm-to-market roads were also completed in Nueva Ecija under the DPWH-DA convergence program. (PNA)