Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) National Deputy Project Director Engr. Cirilo N. Namoc validated a proposed farm-to-market road (FMR) subproject connecting the towns of Santol and Sudipen, La Union on April 6, 2017.

DPD Engr. Namoc was accompanied by Project staffs from the National and Regional Project Coordination Office 1 (RPCO1). As per initial assessment, the Pugil-Malikliko FMR is feasible based on Geomapping and Governance Unit (GGU) and Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) Unit guidelines.

DPD Namoc and the team also visited the on-going implementation of the first PRDP subproject in Ilocos Region located at Naguilian and Aringay, La Union – the Rehabilitation of Balecbec-Basca FMR. The subproject’s field office has been accomplished and the concreting works is about to start.

After the validation and visitation, Engr. Namoc, together with the newly appointed Ilocos Region Project Director Narciso A. Edillo, briefly met with La Union Governor Francisco Emmanuel R. Ortega III at the Province’s Provincial Capitol. Gov. Ortega with Dir. Edillo, Engr. Namoc and National and Regional Project staffs discussed the Provinces plans regarding the agriculture industry.

The validated FMR will be subjected to a series of prioritization processes and evaluation to gauge its feasibility and viability. As per Project pronouncements, FMR subprojects are now second priority to other rural infrastructures like potable water systems and communal irrigation system. ### (Dessa U. Estrada, DA-PRDP RPCO1 InfoACE Unit)