With the issuance of the first No Objection Letter (NOL1) from the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP), the Provincial LGU of Apayao can now proceed with the procurement process for the rehabilitation of Sta. Maria-Mallig-Upper Atok Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) in Flora.

The 11.8-kilometer FMR is the first PRDP-funded FMR subproject to be implemented in Apayao. It has an estimated project cost of P198 million that will benefit over 200 households and support 1,015 hectares of land plated with banana, rice, corn, coconut and other fruit bearing trees.

“Residents and farmers here will benefit from this project as it will bring ease in transporting their harvests to the market and lessen travel time which will eventually lead to higher income and better opportunities,” said Dr. Cameron P. Odsey, DA-CAR Regional Executive Director.

The road project covers three barangays: Sta. Maria, Mallig, and Upper Atok which is adjacent to barangay Aurora of the municipality of Pudtol.

According to Apayao Provincial Agriculturist Prudencio G. Bosing, the FMR is directly connected to the newly improved Ayaga-Sta. Marcela-Flora-Lasam national road which is the only road that connects the road influence barangays to the nearest trading centers in the province.

“Residents in Flora usually use a cart being pulled by carabao in transporting their harvest to the market especially during rainy season. The improvement of this road will surely improve the living standards of the people in this municipality,” added Bosing.

Meanwhile, another FMR subproject was earlier issued with NOL1 in the province of Ifugao. It is a 4.9-kilometer road in the municipality of Mayoyao with an estimated project cost of P140 million. ###Elvy Taquio, DA-PRDP RPCO-CAR InfoACE Unit