Barangays Cawit and Tugos are two of the farthest barangays from the town proper in the town of Boac. Aside from the distance, the rocky terrain that leads to the market adds to the struggles of coconut farmers in the area. With the start of construction of the PhP86 million PRDP farm to market road in the area, farmers look forward to better, faster, and easier access to social services and market opportunities.

The Concreting of Cawit – Tugos Farm to Market Road will run the length of 2.89 kilometers and will support the Marinduque Coco Geonets Production and Trading run by Tanikala Multipurpose Cooperative (TMPC), one of PRDP’s proponent groups. A total of 12,000 farmers in 2,700 households will benefit from the subproject once completed.

“Ang Farm-to-Market Road ay ang missing link sa aming komunidad. Ngayon, mayroon tayong subproject na nag-uugnay sa mga komunidad mula sa iba’t ibang bayan. Ngayong 70 na ako, natupad na ang pangarap kong magkaroon ng kalsada sa ating komunidad (The Farm-to-Market road is the missing link in our community. Now,  we have a subproject that links communities from different towns. Now that I am 70, my dream to have a road in our community has come true),” Barangay Tugos Captain Benjamin Larga shares during the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Concreting of Cawit – Tugos Farm to Market Road in Boac, Marinduque, May 17.

While Larga expressed his gratitude to finally witness an access road linking their barangay to the market, Regional Executive Director Engr. Maria Christine Inting, MPM, affirmed the significance of the FMR to market linkage in her message.

“It is not only the road that we will improve with this project but also our connection to the market, the manufacturers of products, and other sources of income. With the construction of this road, we do not want to solve only one aspect but several different methods to change the condition of farmers and fisherfolks,” Director Inting stated.

Following the groundbreaking ceremony was a Preconstruction Conference attended by the contractor and MPMIU led by the Project Support Office South Luzon. The conference set the roles, obligations, and expectations for the successful implementation of the subproject.

Along with the Concreting of Cawit – Tugos Farm To Market Road, two other PRDP FMRs started their construction in the Province of Marinduque. These are the Improvement/ Upgrading of Caganhao – Amoingon – Maybo Farm to Market Road in Boac and the Rehabilitation/Improvement of Brgy. Kaganhao – Banogbog Farm to Market Road in the Municipality of Santa Cruz.

Boac Mayor Armi Carrion led the Groundbreaking Ceremony with Vice Mayor Mark Anthony Seño and Provincial Administrator Vincent Michael Velasco representing Governor Presbitero Velasco, Jr. Also present to grace the occasion wasRegional Project Director Engr. Maria Christine Inting, MPM, and Regional Deputy Project Director Engr. Annielyn Del Rosario, subproject beneficiaries, and other local key officials. (Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Regional Project Director Engr. Maria Christine Inting, MPM, Regional Deputy Project Director Engr. Annielyn Del Rosario, Boac Mayor Armi Carrion, Provincial Administrator Vincent Michael Velasco, and other local key officials facilitate the groundbreaking of the Concreting of Cawit – Tugos FMR.

In her opening remarks, Regional Project Director Engr. Maria Christine Inting, MPM,highlighted all the benefits the residents can look forward to once the FMR is completed.