Renewed hope for progress is ready to benefit farmers in the farthest barangays
in the municipality of Banaue, Ifugao, as a newly opened Farm-to-Market Road
(FMR) is now 100% complete.

Implemented under the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural
Development Project (DA-PRDP), together with the Municipal Local Government
Unit of Banaue, the completed Anaba-Ducligan-Banao FMR, which spans eight (8)
kilometers with a 20-meter bridge, was proposed with the primary aim of
improving the living conditions of the populace of barangays Anaba, Ducligan, and
Banao.

For so many years, residents of these barangays have been trekking to and from
their farms/houses, as there was zero road access connecting the barangays,
especially barangay Banao.

Nelson Dogwe, a farmer from Barangay Ducligan, is tilling a land near the FMR
subproject and according to him, the opening of the road has brought a lot of
benefits to Ducligan residents, who owns agricultural lands along the area.

Muddy trails and rice field dikes served as pathways for farmers and residents to
reach the nearest access road, the Banaue-Mayoyao-Aguinaldo National Road,
and because of the road construction, they can now travel to and from their
houses or farms safely and in a shorter period of time.

Elizabeth Dulnuan, another farmer beneficiary from Barangay Anaba, also shared
the road construction made them closer to the market area in Banaue, which is a
safer and faster route, as compared to the muddy trails and dikes that they used
to trek.

“We were motivated to cultivate our lands when the road construction started
and especially now that the road is completed where we can reach the center
market area in less than 30 minutes,” added Dulnuan.

Formally completed on April 25, 2022, the PhP245.64 million FMR subproject is
now benefiting more than 275 households within its influence area.

A final inspection was conducted on May 11, 2022, by a joint team composed of
representatives from the national, north Luzon cluster, and regional levels of the
DA-PRDP, together with representatives from the Alfalfa Construction and from
the Municipal Project Management and Implementing Unit (MPMIU) of LGU
Banaue.

Though the subproject was declared as 100% physically completed, the contractor
still needs to rectify the defects that were identified during the final inspection
prior to turnover.

Banaue Municipal Engineer Antonio Gayumma said that a turn over ceremony is
set to be conducted on June 15, 2022.

Meanwhile, the construction of more slope protection structures and guard rails,
including the establishment of additional warning signs among other side
structures/ maintenance initiatives, will be included in the LGU’s Operations and
Maintenance (O&M) Plan for the FMR. (Elvy T. Estacio (Writer, DA-PRDP RPCO-CAR InfoACE Unit)