“Sa hirap na aming dinanas noong mga unang panahon, lubos kaming nagpapasalamat dahil sa matagal na panahon, ngayon lang kami nagkaroon ng maayos na kalsada.” 

Elpidio De Jesus was close to tears as he recalled the hardships they went through back when they only had a dirt road to access basic needs and services in the municipal proper of Dumaran, Palawan. For 69 years, De Jesus did not imagine that he’d live to see a road constructed in their community, most especially not during his term as barangay captain.

With the Construction and Upgrading of Junction Salban-Culasian-Magsaysay Farm-to-Market Road’s (FMR) completion last June 2022, residents of Barangays Danleg, Culasian, and Magsaysay now enjoy lesser travel time, and cheaper transport and hauling costs.

“Minsan walang kalsada napunta kami sa Sta. Teresita inaabot ng dalwang oras, ngayon kalahating oras, minsan wala pa. ‘Yun ang kagandahan na nagkaroon kami ng maayos na kalsada,” De Jesus shared.

This claim was supported by William Articulo, a fish and scraps vendor residing in Brgy. Culasian. “Nakaka-save kami sa oras kasi balikan agad. Nakakapag-trabaho pa kami ng ibang trabaho sa bahay,” Articulo added.

More than the productivity timewise that the FMR has provided, Articulo was proud to share that the concrete road has changed the way they do business in the area. For one, they don’t have to haul scrap materials by boat anymore since the road can provide faster, safer, and cheaper hauling.

“Dati akong nags-scrap. Yung scrap na aming binibili, ibina-byahe namin sa dagat papunta dun sa Danleg kasi doon lang nakakadaan ang truck. Napakahirap, magastos, nag-aarkila pa kami ng sasakyan para lang makarating sa kabilang barangay sa Danleg,” Articulo narrated.

“Dati nga yung ginagawa ko, yung single lang na motor. Pero sabi ko since maganda naman yung kalsada, kumuha kami ng isa pang motor, nilagyan namin ng sidecar para marami ‘yung makarga ko kasi noon limitado lang. Ngayon nakaka-karga kami ng 100-150 kilos na bakal, magaan na yung pabalik,” continued Articulo.

On the other hand, Danleg Barangay Captain Viernels Sayang emphasized the access to social services that the FMR has provided.

“Napakabilis ng komunikasyon, ng mga mga transaksyon, at nagle-less yung kanilang pamasahe. Naging accessible especially sa mga emergency cases na nangyayari mabilis na nakakapunta doon sa ospital ‘yung mga pasyente na galing sa napakalalayong lugar sa Magsaysay at sa Culasian,” Sayang said.

The Construction and Upgrading of Junction Salban-Culasian-Magsaysay Farm-to-Market Road is the fifth FMR completed in the Province of Palawan which was funded by the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP). This is the longest DA-PRDP FMR in the MIMAROPA region with a total length of 17 kilometers and a subproject cost of Php197.2 million.  (Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

The Construction and Upgrading of Junction Salban-Culasian-Magsaysay Farm-to-Market Road which runs for 17 kilometers long reached 100% construction in June 2022. (Photo by Juan Miguel David, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO GGU)