THE Capitol’s P189-million farm-to-market-road (FMR) project is under review for implementation this year.
Estella Rodriguez, project officer of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), said she hopes the P50-million Alegria water system will also be reviewed so the two projects can be implemented simultaneously, considering there’s only one funding agency.
Rodriguez said she hopes the FMR project will be approved this month, so the bidding can start in March.
Rodriguez said the proposed 20.7-kilometer long FMR will benefit coconut and vegetable farmers in Bogo City, San Remigio and Daanbantayan.
“This aims to improve the living condition of the poor in rural areas,” she said.
Costs
Rodriguez said the FMR in Bogo City is 5.7 kilometers long, connecting Barangay Anonang to Barangay Lambusan in San Remigio.
Another FMR has three segments: from Barangays Dapdap to Tambongon; Tambongon to Toong; and Toong to Batad, all in San Remigio, for a total of 5.7 kilometers.
Another FMR is 2.7 kilometers from Barangays Kinawahan to Canagahan.
In Daanbantayan, the FMR is 6.6 kilometers, stretching from Barangays Agoho to Tapilon.
The World Bank (WB) estimated one kilometer to cost P10 million, Rodriguez said.
The proposed projects are part of the WB’s P27.48-billion soft loan to the PRDP.
Part of the fund, or P239 million, will be implemented in two towns and a city in northern Cebu plus the town of Alegria in the south, Rodriguez said.
Payment scheme
rThe soft loan will be paid by the National Government with a 10-percent counterpart fund shouldered by the Capitol, which is already included in its 2015 annual investment plan.
Gerry Avila, Department of Agriculture 7 agribusiness and marketing assistance chief, explained in an earlier interview that the PRDP is a six-year project (2014-2020) designed to establish a market-oriented, agri-fishery sector through priority investments.
Rodriguez said the PRDP recipients are farmers and fisherfolk nationwide, especially those who were affected by super typhoon Yolanda and the earthquake in 2013.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez met with the PRDP’s project support office personnel in Alegria town yesterday to validate the site and feasibility study for its proposed water
system.
“The pipe system will connect water source to households in six Alegria barangays, which were hit twice in recent years with water-borne diseases,” she said.