The Department of Agriculture (DA) has established a watchdog unit to ensure accountability and transparency as it takes over the construction of farm-to-market roads, or FMRs, from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) beginning next year.

The DA first announced the shift on 28 October, emphasizing that farm-to-market roads are critical infrastructure that support rural economies and help lower production costs for both farmers and fisherfolk.

The watchdog unit will operate under the DA’s newly established Interim Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) Unit, which will formalize the safeguards framework originally developed through the World Bank-supported Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP). 

This framework includes environmental assessments, social risk evaluations, and stakeholder engagement protocols that will be embedded across all DA offices, bureaus, attached agencies, and regional field units as the department expands its climate-resilient programs.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the SES unit will craft a department-wide roadmap, harmonize standards, and embed safeguards into every stage of project planning and procurement, and ensure compliance with national regulations and development-partner requirements. A nationwide network of trained safeguard officers will provide oversight at both the central and regional levels.

The DPWH, which previously handled FMR construction, has faced criticism over allegations of substandard and non-existent infrastructure projects, particularly those tied to the ongoing floodgate scandal.

“The recent controversy surrounding flood control projects underscores why we need a strong safeguards system. We cannot afford gray areas or blind spots,” Laurel said. “This watchdog unit ensures that every DA project is transparent, accountable, and fully aligned with environmental and social standards.”

 Laurel recently met with Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon to audit existing FMR projects and prepare for the transition in 2026. 

The DA reported that the country has a backlog of 60,000 kilometers of FMRs out of the 131,000-kilometer target — roads crucial for lowering transport costs, reducing post-harvest losses, and improving farmers’ access to markets.

Dizon earlier noted that some 1,000 kilometers of FMRs were slated for construction in 2025. 

He suggested that local government units could be tapped more aggressively — much like the approach used in classroom construction — to speed up the roads’ completion.

On 3 November, the House minority bloc called for an internal probe into alleged overpricing and possible fraud in FMR construction, citing Senator Win Gatchalian’s findings flagging P10 billion worth of “extremely overpriced” projects funded under the 2023 and 2024 national budgets.

To strengthen oversight, the DA said its watchdog unit will coordinate closely with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, as well as financing partners like the World Bank and IFAD. The move follows World Bank recommendations under the PRDP Scale-Up to establish permanent safeguard positions for continuity.

Laurel said the strengthened structure is vital as the DA advances “sustainable, accountable, and community-protected” agricultural development.