DILG: 7.4M Filipinos benefit from farm-to-market roads

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said 7.4 million Filipinos in remote communities are benefiting from farm-to-market roads built under the Local Government Support Fund–Support to the Barangay Development Program (LGSF-SBDP).

The agency said the projects, aligned with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., aim to improve food supply, reduce transport costs, and stabilize prices.

Since 2022, the program has completed 2,945 farm-to-market road projects spanning about 945 kilometers and connecting 2,874 barangays nationwide.

In remote areas, travel time has been significantly reduced.

In Sitio Bila, Barangay Tudok, T’boli, South Cotabato, residents said trips that once took days can now be completed in two to three hours, allowing farmers to transport goods faster and return home sooner.

In Bohol, improved road access between Barangay Casate in Ubay and Barangay Corazon in San Miguel has enabled farmers to reach markets earlier, with produce arriving in better condition and at more stable prices. A barangay official said both travel time and transport costs have dropped.

The DILG said the roads are critical in keeping food supply chains efficient, particularly as global oil prices remain volatile.

“These are projects that people can feel,” the department said. “Mas mabilis ang biyahe, mas mababa ang gastos, mas siguradong kita para sa magsasaka.”

The agency said it will continue expanding the program to connect more communities and support local economies.