Over 7,000 vegetable farmers and locals are now reaping benefits from the construction of a Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP)-funded farm-to-market road in San Ildefonso, Bulacan.

With a total project cost of P107.2 million, the FMR traverses four barangays – Bubulong Malake, Bulusukan, Bubulong Munti, and Bohol  na Mangga – and is now reported to be 98.31% completed.

Through a project evaluation initiative called Rapid Appraisal of Emerging Benefits (RAEB), household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and spot interviews were conducted with a group of farmers across the said barangays to determine the stream of benefits brought by the new access road.

Gathered data revealed that with the use of the FMR, travel time has been reduced by 47.8%, and traffic count increased by 61%.

“With this newly-cemented road, what used to be more than an hour of travel now went down to almost 30 minutes. Also, the gasoline consumption of our tricycles have decreased by about 50 percent,” said Rizal Manalili, a farmer in Barangay Bohol na Mangga.

The FMR construction also resulted to farmers’ increase in income. Average net income for one cropping season went up by 50.82%, while total household income and real farmers’ income increased by 18.4%.

Vegetable farmers in San Ildefonso, Bulacan participate in the group discussion with PRDP staff in order to determine the stream of benefits by the FMR.

Stories from the field

In Barangay Bulusukan, farmer Ronaldo Hizon recalled how delivered crops used to be damaged even before they reach the market, causing income losses.

“The damaged crops that could have been sold affect our income. Now, within 30 minutes, we can deliver our products directly to the market,” shared Hizon.

The improved road resulted to more farmer technicians visiting the area, unlike before when they were discouraged to come because of the rugged road.

From its neighbor barangay, Nerisa Siclot from Bubulong Munti is a resident whose land was affected by the construction. Through legal negotiations, Siclot and her family have donated about three meters of land for the FMR.

“It was really worth the donation. Donating was not a big deal for us, as long as this road becomes cemented. We did not have any second thoughts because all residents here will all benefit from this,” said Siclot.

Siclot recalled how the village children used to walk barefoot going to school and how the path was muddy all the time.

“Thanks to the new road, we do not experience that anymore. More vehicles pass by this road now. Students are not bothered anymore by the mud and by the daily transfers from vehicles to barefoot walking, and vice versa,” she added. ### (Kayla Arceo, PSO InfoACE Unit)