The Regional Project Advisory Board of the Department of Agriculture (DA) 13 (Caraga) approved on Thursday the proposed PHP106-million farm-to-market road (FMR) that will connect two villages in Marihatag, Surigao del Sur to market centers.

In a Friday statement, the DA-13 said the proposed FMR, with a total length of 3.58 kilometers, will benefit about 4,879 residents, mostly farmers in Barangays Bayan and San Isidro.

The project will be implemented under the Philippine Rural Development Program’s Scale-Up program.

“The undertaking aims to provide more access to farmers and support the growing cacao industry in Marihatag,” the DA-13 said.

It noted that the RPAB, led by DA-13, includes representatives from various government agencies in the region, such as the Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of the Interior and Local Government, National Commission for Indigenous Peoples, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Mindanao Development Authority.

In a separate Friday statement, the Marihatag municipal government welcomed the project’s approval, calling it a premier initiative that further improves the municipality’s agricultural infrastructure.

“The FMR will bolster the municipality’s agriculture and provide efficient transport for farm products,” the LGU Marihatag said.

Following its approval, the project proposal will undergo national-level review before initiating other requisitions, such as procurement and bidding. (PNA)