BAGUIO CITY: Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella 3rd has approved the city’s request for P200 million that will fund the development of farm-to-market roads (FMRs) in seven sites in the Summer Capital.

This was revealed by Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who made the request, during the regular management committee meeting of local officials on Tuesday at City Hall.

He said the request for funding assistance stemmed from dialogues with local farmers and agriculture sector stakeholders spearheaded by the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) where the need for FMR projects was raised.

“These farm-to-market roads will allow our farmers to transport their farming inputs and produce to traders and consumers with relative ease,” the mayor said.

Magalong said the dialogues are in line with the city’s pursuit of good governance by promoting participatory governance and democratic involvement of all stakeholders including farmers and fisherfolk.

CVAO head Dr. Silardo Bested said that FMRs are proposed in the following sites: Sto. Tomas Central to Western Link Circumferential Road at Sto. Tomas Central and Proper; Sitio Mangitit, Camp 7; Balenben Road at Purok 12 between CSWDO-SDC and Irisan; Balenben Purok 2, Irisan; Aurelio Street, Dontogan; Pine Tree Alley, Asin Road; and Sto. Tomas Central to Adiwang Road, Dontogan.

Bested said the sites were validated by his office and the City Engineering Office under engineer Edgar Victorio Olpindo and that the FMR projects are targeted to be completed in 2023.