Zamboanga Sibugay farmers benefit from new farm-to-market road

Residents, mostly farmers of Barangay Basalem in the town of Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay are now utilizing a better, farm-to-market road (FMR) recently paved by the Department of Public Works and Higwhays (DPWH).

In her report to Secretary Mark Villar, DPWH Region 9 Director Cayamombao D. Dia said that the newly-built FMR constructed in 90 days is now helping farmers who used to transport their agricultural products in a bumpy unpaved road

“The completed Basalem Farm-to-Market Road greatly facilitated the speedy delivery of products, reducing travel time to 20 minutes from Barangay Basalem in the Municipality of Buug to the city center of Zamboanga Sibugay province,” said Secretary Villar.

The P12-million FMR project includes the concrete paving of 734.50 linear meter dusty and bumpy road into a two (2) lane road with a 200 millimeter thick of portland cement concrete, construction of stone masonry and grouted riprap, and wide shoulder and gabions for slope protections features.

The FMR project was implemented by the DPWH Zamboanga Sibugay 1st District Engineering Office (DEO) under the convergence program with the Department of Agriculture (DA), which aims to amplify government’s program to reduce the transportation costs of farm outputs, minimize post-harvest loses, promote economic activities and develop trade and commerce. (DPWH)