PRESIDENT Marcos yesterday directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to come up with a farm-to-market road (FMR) masterplan that would identify locations where they are most needed, where to source the funding for the project, and how long it would take to complete.
Marcos, also the concurrent Agriculture Secretary, said the construction of farm-to-market roads in key areas is part of the government’s bid to promote food security and empower rural communities.
He said the construction of more FMRs will make food mobilization across the country more efficient as it would also improve the delivery of food products to the Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI), which would then support the distribution of agricultural products, especially to vulnerable sectors of the community.
“If they identify the areas where it should be open, we will go to Public Works. And also, what are the areas that we really want to open, that really need the FMR? We will do that first,” he said.
He said locations with active agricultural production should be prioritized to address supply chain concerns.
Marcos said the masterplan should include regional maps detailing the exact locations of the proposed farm-to-market roads, the funding source and payment terms, and the time frame for project completion.
He said the road projects and other future agricultural infrastructure should be “climate-change resistant,” which means they should not be prone to landslides and other calamities.
He also wants the DA and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to take charge of the implementation of government-funded FMR projects, while official development assistance-funded (ODA) projects should be constructed in priority areas identified by the government.
The President wants the masterplan to be studied thoroughly as it would also be presented to economic managers.
Marcos also ordered the acceleration of the implementation of programs, activities and projects (PAPs) for rice, corn, fisheries, vegetable, livestock and poultry production to address the supply needs.
Also discussed in the meeting were the possible increase of government-to-government (G2G) negotiations concerning certain products, the possible reduction of government subsidy for raw products such as fertilizers, and maximizing the use of government funds to address concerns of local farmers.
The President also said the government is in the process of streamlining the functions of DA “as part of efforts to bring a tighter focus on its mandate.
“You have probably been hearing, the new term now is ‘rightsize.’ So that’s also something that we are going to have to discuss. That we have to rightsize the DA,” Marcos said.
He said this is not limited to the DA, adding he has also asked other Cabinet secretaries to look into the “rightsizing” of their functions and bureaucracy to promote efficiency in public sector management.
“I have asked all of the department secretaries to do the same thing for their departments.
So, seeing as I am now holding the portfolio of Secretary of Agriculture, we also have to do it in our department,” he added.
The government is reviewing the functions of 187 government agencies and corporations to identify possible redundancy and duplicative functions and positions and determine if they can be merged or transferred to other departments or needs to be abolished.
It aims to make delivery of service efficient and effective but also save the government some much needed revenue.
