THE Department of Agriculture in Davao Region (DA-Davao) earlier this week has issued a strong statement rejecting allegations that Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) projects in Davao are being “sold” to contractors, calling such claims false, misleading, and harmful to public trust.
“We have never authorized any individual or entity to solicit money in exchange for favoring contractors in the awarding of projects,” the agency said in a statement, reaffirming its commitment to transparent, competitive bidding and strict evaluation processes for all infrastructure works.
All FMR projects including those under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) and the Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project (MIADP) are subject to established validation, evaluation, and approval procedures before implementation.
The agency urged the public to remain cautious and rely only on verified official communication for accurate information about these programs.
Farm-to-Market Roads are critical rural infrastructure that connects agricultural production zones to local trading centers, markets, and highways, reducing transportation costs and travel time and helping farmers bring produce to buyers more efficiently.
In the Davao Region, one of the Philippines’ most agriculturally productive areas, FMR investments have been prominent in recent years and involve both national and donor-assisted funding. Recent media reports confirm ongoing and completed FMR projects throughout the region with substantial government and partner investments.
In Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, an 8.81-kilometer FMR in Barangay Glamang was completed in early 2025 with a total project cost of P177 million, funded by the Department of Agriculture together with the World Bank and European Union under the PRDP. The road is expected to benefit more than 6,600 residents by improving access to markets and reducing post-harvest losses.
In Davao City, two recently finished FMR segments spanning roughly 3.3 kilometers were turned over to communities in mid-2024, with a combined investment of nearly P57 million. The Sitio Mingly to Sitio Upper Egay road in Barangay Biao Escuela cost about P44.8 million, while a one-kilometer FMR in Barangay Tagakpan was valued at P11.7 million, improving access for nearly 850 farmers.
Other FMR initiatives include a P29.76-million upgraded road in Barangay Tagbitan-ag, Island Garden City of Samal, completed in early 2025 to bolster local rural economic activity. These projects illustrate how FMR infrastructure is being deployed across diverse localities within the region, touching coastal cities, hinterland municipalities, and island communities.
DA’s planning blueprint for future works also shows larger infrastructure pipelines: the Philippine Rural Development Project reports over P1.2 billion worth of FMR and related infrastructure projects in the Davao Region, covering rehabilitation and new construction in Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental, including roads in Kapalong, San Isidro, Sto. Tomas, New Corella, and more.
Despite these investments, national DA data indicate a significant backlog of FMR projects in the Davao area. As of late 2025, Davao Region alone accounts for roughly P65.5 billion in unfunded FMR proposals covering more than 7,000 kilometers, highlighting the continuing demand for rural roads to spur agricultural development.
“We urge the public to remain vigilant and to refrain from believing or sharing unverified information. The DA will not tolerate any attempt to mislead the public or undermine the integrity of its programs,” the regional agency’s advisory concluded, reminding stakeholders that verified updates come only from official DA channels. DEF