P153M farm-to-market road to be constructed in Pudtol, Apayao

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Transportation of agricultural products will soon be easier in three barangays of Pudtol as a paved farm-to-market road awaits construction sometime this year.

The bidding for the Improvement of Cabatacan-San Mariano-San Jose Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) subproject has already been instructed to the provincial government of Apayao.

This was relayed by the Department of Agriculture - Philippine Rural Development Project on Monday, April 1.

The road project worth P153 million will cover the barangays of Cabatacan, San Mariano, and San Jose, with a length of 5.554 kilometers.

The target beneficiaries are the 502 households in the three barangays, totaling 2,508 individuals.

The main produce of the locality includes bananas and rice, among other agricultural products. To facilitate fast transportation to the marketplace, the subproject was proposed.

This project is the second in the region to be approved for funding through the PRDP Scale-Up project, which aims to improve "farmers' and fisherfolks' access to markets and increase income from selected agri-fishery value chains."

In connection with the project, an orientation on World Bank Harmonized Procurement Guidelines is scheduled for April 3-5, as well as the preparation of the Implementation Management Agreement (IMA).

“The IMA comprises implementation arrangements and specific guidelines for PRDP-funded subprojects within a given period, including the schedule of fund releases and liquidation reports,” wrote DA-PRDP.