GUINOBATAN, Albay — Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Monday inspected a suspected “ghost” farm-to-market road (FMR) project in Barangay Lower Binogsacan, casting fresh scrutiny on a 1-kilometer-long, 5-meter-wide access road that was supposed to ease farmers’ transport woes and spur development in the area even before the pandemic.
Initial validation by the Department of Agriculture– Internal Audit Service (IAS )in November found that the FMR was not implemented at its approved site.
“Our auditors were told the road had been relocated upon the request of the former district representative in April 2021, citing unspecified right-of-way and environmental constraints that supposedly hindered the project,” Tiu Laurel said.
He added that officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Regional Agricultural Engineering Division (RAED) guided auditors to the purported relocation site of 2021 FMR project. The area bore a road marker labeled “2019 FMR,” typically indicating the year of project completion—raising further questions about the timeline and authenticity of the project.
Furthermore, the audit team inspected a FMR project located in the province of Camarines Sur which was observed to be notably overpriced. The project was validated having one-lane of 74.3 meters and two-lane of 32 meters amounting to PhP14.6 million.
The discrepancy has prompted concerns over possible irregularities in the implementation and reporting of the project, which was intended to improve market access for farmers and reduce post-harvest losses in the agricultural town.
Tiu Laurel said the department is now conducting a deeper investigation, including a review of project documents, funding releases, and coordination with concerned agencies, to determine accountability and prevent similar anomalies in future infrastructure initiatives.
“This is exactly why we are strengthening oversight of FMR projects,” he said. “Farmers deserve infrastructure that actually exists—and works.”
