Farmers in Mulanay to gain easier market access

By Rowena Cruz Mulanay Mayor and DA-PRDP officials recently celebrated the groundbreaking of a new farm-to-market road in Mulanay, Quezon. (...

By Rowena Cruz

Mulanay Mayor and DA-PRDP officials recently celebrated the groundbreaking of a new farm-to-market road in Mulanay, Quezon. (Photo from PRDP Calabarzon)

MULANAY, Quezon – Farmers in Mulanay, Quezon, can look forward to easier access to markets and improved livelihoods. This comes after the recent approval of Php 495,675,169.82 in funding for a 15.33-kilometer farm-to-market road (FMR) with two bridges.

The said project, under the Department of Agriculture - Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Scale-Up program, aims to improve the lives of over 9,000 individuals and boost agricultural productivity in the municipality by connecting remote villages to essential services and markets.



Mulanay Mayor Aristotle Aguirre, speaking at the recent DA-PRDP Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) meeting, expressed his gratitude for the project, emphasizing the significant impact it will have on the community. "This FMR will be a game-changer for our residents and farmers," he stated. "Travel time will be drastically reduced, transportation losses will be minimized, and safety will be improved, especially during the rainy season."

Currently, residents face challenges with poor road conditions and unsafe bridges. The new FMR will connect four barangays – Bagupaye, Cambuga, Mabini, and San Pedro – to the Mulanay-San Francisco national road, facilitating easier access to markets and services.

The project is expected to reduce travel time from 2.8 hours to just 19 minutes and decrease transport losses from 2.3% to 1.2%. This improved accessibility will encourage increased agricultural production and open up new economic opportunities for the municipality.

DA-4A Regional Executive Director and RPAB Chairperson Fidel Libao commended the Mulanay local government for its proactive approach to agricultural development. "We are grateful to the LGU for proposing this subproject, which will undoubtedly contribute to the growth of the local agriculture and fishery sector," he said. "We will work together to ensure its successful implementation and help more farmers prosper with this improved market access."

Mayor Aguirre assured the RPAB and DA-PRDP of the LGU's full commitment to the project's success. He expressed optimism that the FMR will not only enhance agricultural production and marketing but also generate livelihood opportunities for farmers and marginalized sectors in Mulanay.

This significant infrastructure investment is expected to bring long-term benefits to Mulanay, Quezon, contributing to its economic growth and improving the quality of life for its residents.

The DA-PRDP is a six-year rural development project funded by the World Bank. It aims to increase rural incomes and enhance farm and fishery productivity in targeted areas nationwide. The program focuses on strategies that empower rural communities and promote inclusive growth.

One of the key components of the DA-PRDP is improving market access and value chain development. This is achieved through infrastructure development, such as FMRs and bridges, and enterprise development subprojects that help farmers and fisherfolk access markets and increase their income. The program has been instrumental in transforming rural communities across the Philippines by providing crucial support for farmers and fisherfolk.