Sariaya, Quezon farm-to-market road (FMR) recipients will soon benefit from the infrastructure development subproject as the municipal government and winning contractor have already signed the contract for the Rehabilitation and Concreting of Concepcion Palasan to Manggalang-Killing FMR with line canal on June 19, 2019.

The Municipal Mayor, Marcelo Gayeta, led the formal contract signing ceremony for the project.

The Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP)-funded FMR that amounts to P187.4 million will benefit the barangays Concepcion Palasan, Manggalang Tulo-tulo, Manggalang 1, and Manggalang Kiling.

The 14-kilometer road aims to support the dairy cattle industry in the municipality. Within its 2,988 hectares road influence area, there are members of Palcon Dairy Multipurpose Cooperative, the proponent group of a PRDP enterprise subproject in the province, that will also be a recipient of the subproject.

The FMR will also contribute to six barangays and some portions of Candelaria, Quezon by allowing them to pass on the road for efficient delivery of their products to the market.

Aside from dairy cattle, the road will also benefit coconut plantations, rice, and cornfields, high-value crops areas as well as bangus and tilapia production areas.

Upon the subproject’s completion, the new FMR will reduce the hauling cost by 55 percent from P45 to P20 per sack and crate of crops, and 50 percent from P10 to P5 for milk. It is also projected to lessen the transport losses by up to five percent.

Through this project, farmers and fisherfolk will be able to transport their products in pristine condition and with reasonable price to the Sentrong Pamilihan ng Produktong Agrikultura sa Quezon, the central agricultural market of Quezon province.

Aside from agricultural benefits, the 40-minute travel time of commuters will be shortened to 20 minutes. Social services and non-agricultural economic output are also seen to improve through this project.

For a successful project implementation in the municipality, PRDP South Luzon Project Support Office (PSO) and CALABARZON Regional Project Coordination Office representatives, headed by the PSO Project Director, Engr. Arnel de Mesa, discussed the roles of the local government unit and contractor, the social responsibility of the community in project monitoring, as well as the contract guidelines during the activity. ### (Lawrence Albert Bariring, DA-PRDP CALABARZON RPCO InfoACE Unit)

The current condition of the Sariaya farm-to-market road. (courtesy of the GGU)

Mayor Marcelo Gayeta of Sariaya, Quezon lead the signing of the contract with the winning contractor for the “Rehabilitation and Concreting of Concepcion Palasan to Manggalang Killing FMR with line canal” subproject. PRDP staff, MLGU officials, and barangay representatives all witnessed the event. (Photo by Rowell Llagas)