The Baguio City Council, in its regular session last Monday, passed a resolution supporting the proposed Farm-to-Market (FMR) road at Irisan Barangay.
The proposed FMR is a project of the City Government of Baguio in partnership with the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR). It aims to improve the mobility of farmers in the area when transporting their farm produce.
The road to be constructed, which will benefit 15 or more farmers, will cover portions along Puroks 8 and 12. It will serve as a road linkage to the Bauang-Baguio Road and the city public market.
In June 2021, Mayor Benjamin Magalong wrote to DA Secretary William Dar requesting for fund assistance for the project. Based on the program of works prepared by the City Engineering Office (CEO), the project will cost P17.39 million.
Filemon Salvador, chief of the Regional Agricultural Engineering Division of DA-CAR, said the DA-CAR already endorsed the cost estimate of the project, subject to the approval of the central office. The fund for the project, if and when approved, will be earmarked in the DA-CAR’s budget for Fiscal Year 2023.
The recently approved council resolution is in compliance with one of the requirements needed by the DA for the approval of the request for funding.
By passing the said resolution, the city government expresses it willingness to “assist in the road right of way acquisition, allocation of budget for the perfection of the conveyance of title of the road right of way, planning, construction, inspection, monitoring of the project, and its support in the operation and maintenance of the project after the turnover.”
The project site will cover a portion of a titled lot in the name of Elsie Kiwas. The city council passed a separate resolution requesting the heirs of Kiwas to donate the 207-sqm parcel of land to the city government.
The project site will also cover a portion of a city lot where the Social Welfare Development Center is located.
Another requirement asked by the DA is a 10-percent share from the city government in the project cost which may be in cash and/or in kind. The city council requested that the valuation of the city lot covered by the project will be considered as part of the city’s share in the project cost. **Jordan G. Habbiling
