Residents of Brgy. Binahian in Sipocot, Camarines Sur travel two towns away via motorboat to Brgy. Tagbac in Ragay, Camarines Sur to reach their municipality’s Poblacion. During summer, they have a better option because they can use the alternate route from Brgy. Colacling in Lupi, an adjacent town, via habal-habal for P300 back and forth. However, during rainy season, the residents are left without a choice but to travel via sea to get to the mainland as the road becomes impassable.

The residents of Brgy. Binahian are among the 6,691 population of six barangays who will benefit from the Upgrading of the 19.33-kilometer Manangle-Caima farm-to-market road (FMR) in Sipocot, Camarines Sur. On June 3, 2016, Philippine Rural Development Project South Luzon Director Shandy M. Hubilla led the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the said sub-project to commence the construction of the P131 million-worth sub-project.

According to 40-year-old rice farmer Jovito L. Mapa, the sub-project motivates them to plant more crops and boost agricultural production.

“Kung dati, dai madara ang mga produkto sa banwaan ta mas mahal pa ang pamasahe kesa sa produkto, ngonian magiging maalwan na. Dakol na mahigos magtanom (Before, we opt not to bring the products to the market because the fare rate is higher than the products’ value. Now, it will be more convenient. More farmers will be encouraged to plant),” he said.

Coconut production is the main source of income of farmers in Sipocot. Brgy. Binahian is one of the highest coconut producing barangays in the municipality. However, poor road condition in the road stretch of Brgy. Binahian, Brgy. Carayrayan and Brgy. Gabi restrains the transportation and marketing of coconut produce to Sipocot traders.

The PRDP-funded Upgrading of Manangle-Caima FMR will provide an access road that would connect the six barangays’ economic growth points to the national highway. It will reduce post-harvest losses on all agricultural products by two percent, reduce hauling cost of all inflows and outflows of agri-fishery commodities by P11 per sack and  increase potential land for agricultural production by 170 hectares within four years. As a result of improved road condition, the sub-project will reduce travel time by an average of 37 minutes or 50 percent.

“Iyo na po ini ang pagtapos kan satuyang pagsasakripisyo ta iyo na po ini an poon para an satuyang kalsada mapunan (This marks the end of our sacrifices because it signals the start of our road construction),” Esteban Moreno, councilor of Brgy. Binahian, said.

“An satuyang gigibohon na tinampo bakong one-way, single lane–full size pang-world class (The road to be constructed is world-class–not one way nor single lane but full size),” Camarines Sur Governor Miguel Luis R. Villafuerte remarked.

The Upgrading of Manangle-Caima FMR is one of the seven approved sub-projects of Camarines Sur under PRDP worth about P500 million.

PRDP is a six-year national government platform for a modern and inclusive, value-chain oriented and climate-resilient agri-fishery sector. (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)

The Upgrading of the 19.33-kilometer Manangle-Caima Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) worth P131 million in Sipocot, Camarines Sur is expected to benefit 6,691 population of six barangays within the road influence area. Coconut production is the main source of income of farmers in Sipocot. (Photo by Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)