The Department of Agrarian Reform on Saturday said it has turned over two farm-to-market roads (FMRs) worth PHP32 million to local officials of Pililla and Jalajala in the province of Rizal.

DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Rowena Niña Taduran together with DAR Regional Director Atty. Mcdonald Galit, led the turnover of the 2 FMRs located in Barangay Halayhayin in Pililla and Barangay Bagumbong in Jalajala. The projects were implemented under the Sustainable and Resilient Agrarian Reform Communities funded by the Agrarian Reform Fund.

“Our services do not end in giving farmers their land to till. We will also provide various support services to capacitate them and ensure their success in farming,” Taduran said.

Taduran said the project, implemented in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the local government, seeks to alleviate poverty in the marginalized target areas and improve the quality of life of its beneficiaries through sustainable agricultural development.

“Road concreting projects in rural areas bring the most benefit to our small-scale farmers as these can directly link agricultural lands to major market centers. An improved road also allows safer and faster access of rural communities to schools, hospitals, and industries for employment,” Taduran said.

According to Galit, the paved roads will benefit 995 pineapple growers in Pililla and 2,681 rice farmers in Jalajala.

“These roads would also help not only the farmers but also the people in the community. They now have concrete roads, that would make transportation easier for everyone,” Galit said.

Faustino Casabal Jr., a rice farmer from Jalajala, said in the past, the road got flooded easily and motor vehicles could not pass through the road.

“Now that it is concreted, travelling is faster and easier. Also, the frequency of commuter trips has increased, and we can now bring our products with minimal travel expense,” Casabal said.