The Department of Agriculture (DA) is urging Congress to pass the proposed Farm-to-Market Roads (FMR) Development and Equity Act, aimed at addressing a 36,000-kilometer backlog in rural road infrastructure.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the bill would establish a more transparent, equitable, and programmatic framework for FMR investments that he said are essential lifelines connecting farmers and fisherfolk to markets and economic opportunities.
“Every kilometer of FMR we build is a pathway out of poverty,” Laurel said, emphasizing the need for a sustainable, long-term approach.
Under the proposed law, at least 30 percent of FMR funding will be allocated to high-poverty rural areas, with the remainder directed to strategic regional growth corridors, major commodity zones, fisheries areas, livestock clusters, and geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).
The DA also plans to implement a Farm-to-Market Road Masterplan in six-year rolling cycles, aligned with national development goals. It will involve coordination among the DA, DPWH, local governments, and the creation of a National FMR Dashboard for real-time monitoring.
Well-planned FMRs are expected to lower food prices, reduce post-harvest losses, improve rural incomes, and boost national food security, Laurel said.
The DA is calling on both houses of Congress to prioritize the measure, describing it as critical to agricultural modernization, poverty reduction, and inclusive growth.
