Cagayan Provincial Project Management Implementing Unit (PPMIU) through its head, Provincial Agriculturist Pearlita Lucia P. Mabasa, affirmed that the rehabilitation of Iraga-Bayabat farm-to-market road (FMR) with bridges sub-project under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) is expected to be completed before its target date.

The project started last March 28, 2017, and is expected to be completed on August 7, 2018. The 20.25-kilometer project amounts to about Php203M.

“It is expected that by August of this year, thousands of farmers and other Cagayano families in the towns of Solana and Amulung will finally reap the benefits of the FMR that has been funded by World Bank, the Department of Agriculture and the Provincial Government of Cagayan under the PRDP. However, with its fast-paced, quality construction the road is expected to be opened to end-users even before the expected date,” Mabasa stated.

Mabasa said that a good partnership of the Provincial Government of Cagayan as procuring entity with the contractor of the project (R.D. Interior Jr. Construction/ Crest Construction JV) is one of the factors that usher in smooth implementation of the Iraga-Bayabat construction.

“Add to this, the monitoring system of PPMIU is also in place. Thus, the project has not experienced any delay as to date,” Mabasa said.

Meanwhile, Engr. Basilia Flores, Cagayan’s Provincial Engineer reiterated that the Iraga-Bayabat project is running smoothly because of various good practices in infrastructure project management including manpower and continuous onsite monitoring.

“We have a Resident Engineer, Materials Engineer, Site Engineer and an Engineering Assistant who constantly monitor the project. We are hopeful that even before the target date of completion, our farmers and barangay folks in the area will enjoy the benefits of the project, especially in the market of their produce or harvest and in their mobility.

Moreover, the contractor claimed that they have the finances, resources, technical knowledge and expertise.

The Iraga-Bayabat FMR with bridges is a sub-project of the Cagayan Dairy Enterprise, the province’s primary enterprise. The road will traverse various barangays including Iraga in Solana; Nangalasuan, Cordova, San Juan, Annafatan, Palayag, Pacac Pequeno, Masical, and Bayabat in Amulung.

It is expected to benefit some 26,711 individuals and about 5,654 households in both municipalities.

Other infrastructure subprojects supporting the dairy industry in Cagayan under the PRDP include the rehabilitation of Namabbalan Norte-Baliuag-Bical-Cabbo FMR with bridges and the rehabilitation of Alcala East FMR with bridges.

These FMRs are expected to bring about development in the countryside by improving the access of the farmers to market centers. (Mielmia Marie T. Baquiran, RPCO2)