CABANATUAN CITY – More than 200 farmers and residents in Barangay H. Romero, a remote agricultural community in Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija, now benefit from a newly completed farm-to-market road (FMR) that ensures safer and faster transport of agricultural products.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) recently completed the concreting of the 0.52-kilometer, four-meter-wide road, replacing the previously unpaved route that had long hindered mobility in the area.
“The old road became muddy and nearly impassable during the rainy season, and dusty and hazardous in the dry months. This project has significantly improved the transport of agricultural products, particularly rice, which is the area’s primary crop,” DPWH Nueva Ecija 1st OIC-District Engineer Jun Vana said.
He emphasized that improved access will ease the burden on farmers and help boost local trade.
Funded under the 2025 national budget through the agency’s Convergence and Special Support Program, the P4.85-million project is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen rural connectivity and support agricultural productivity.
With the upgraded road, farmers can now bring their harvests to nearby markets more efficiently, reducing travel time and transportation costs.
The FMR is also expected to generate more economic opportunities in the village and support the administration’s goal of enhancing food security, promoting inclusive economic growth, and improving the quality of life in rural communities. (CLJD/RPQ, PIA Region 3-Nueva Ecija)