DAVAO CITY (August 20) — Farmers across the Davao Region are set to benefit from about PHP1.5 billion worth of farm-to-market road (FMR) projects in 2026, covering nearly 99.7 kilometers of rural roads, the Department of Agriculture-Davao (DA-11) said.
The program aims to ease long-standing transport problems in farming communities, especially in remote and hard-to-reach areas where getting produce to markets remains costly and difficult.
DA-11 Regional Director Macario Gonzaga said the 2026 allocation marks a stronger push for rural infrastructure, following a midyear review of ongoing FMR projects in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.
The planned road projects are spread across the region: 17 in Davao de Oro, nine in Davao Oriental, nine in Davao del Sur, seven in Davao del Norte, four in Davao City, and two in Davao Occidental.
Gonzaga said the goal is to make it easier for farmers to move goods from farms to trading centers, cut transport costs, and open up wider market opportunities.
“These continued investments in rural infrastructure aim to reduce transportation challenges for farmers, improve the movement of agricultural products, and strengthen local food systems and food security across the region,” he said.
He also stressed that building the roads is only part of the task, noting the importance of ensuring that projects directly serve farming communities and remain usable over time.
Gonzaga said sustained coordination among the Department of Agriculture, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), local government units, and farmer groups is key to making the program work.
He added that regular monitoring is needed to ensure projects are properly implemented and maintained.
For 2025, DA-11 reported 26 FMR projects, with 23 already completed and three still ongoing. The projects were distributed across Davao de Oro (11), Davao del Norte (4), Davao City (4), Davao Oriental (3), Davao Occidental (2), and Davao del Sur (2).
For farmers, improved road access is expected to mean faster travel time, lower hauling costs, and easier access to buyers and agricultural services.
DA-11 said the real measure of the 2026 program will not only be the kilometers of roads built, but whether these translate into better incomes and stronger market access for farming communities.
