A joint administrative order establishing farm-to-market roads (FMRs) will be signed this month, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Tuesday.
Mr. Marcos, quoted by a GMA News report said there is already an approved FMR master plan.
“We already have a national timetable and all agencies involved will be signing by December, before the end of the year in order to approve the plan for the construction of the FMRs,” he added.
The President said the joint administrative order will establish the guidelines that will make all FMRs “interconnected” with other infrastructure projects, which he said, will ensure efficiency in the delivery of services and enhance agricultural programs.
The joint administrative order will be among the Departments of Agriculture, Public Works and Highways, Interior and Local Government, Trade and Industry and Tourism, GMA News reported.
The Palace said as of October this year, a total of 43,223.17 kilometers is proposed for FMR projects. There is a requirement of 131,410.66 km (110ha/km) of the country to cater to the 14 million hectares of production areas for agriculture and fisheries.
As of October 2022, a total of 67,255.46 FMR were completed, leaving a backlog of 64,155.20 kilometers, the Palace added.
Mr. Marcos earlier said the FMR masterplan would serve as a guide for the government in promoting food security and empowering rural communities. He said the masterplan should include regional maps which will indicate the exact locations of the farm-to-market roads that will be constructed.