Farm-to-market road for Samar upland farmers

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has inaugurated a P18.4million road that serves as an alternate route for upland farmers in Samar.

DAR Assistant Regional Director Ismael Aya-ay, who led the turnover and inauguration rites, said the 3.1kilometer road will provide the more than 1,600 residents of Sta. Margarita town, 180 of whom are agrarian reform beneficiaries, faster access to other villages and markets.

“Instead of passing by the national highway, farmers can already pass through the mountain in going to other communities. The area is also accessible now to all types of vehicles,” Aya-ay said.

Sta. Margarita Mayor Gemma Zosa thanked the DAR for building the road.

She encouraged the farmers to produce more of the kalinayan or “red rice,” because a well-known department store in Metro Manila is willing to tie-up with the municipality in marketing the product.

The cost of the project, implemented under the second phase of the Agrarian Reform Communities Project (ARCPA-II), was shared by the national government through a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and local government of Sta. Margarita.

The project partners will allocate funds for the road’s maintenance for 10 years.

Samar Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Segundino Pagliawan said the project originally was just to start the road construction and spot concreting only.

But through the LGU’s efforts, the entire farm-to-market road is almost completely concreted.