Energy crisis delays procurement for FMR program

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it moved the start of procurement for farm-to-market road (FMR) projects to May from the original April target after cost estimates had to be reworked due to rising fuel prices.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Agro-Marine Industrial Systems Arrey A. Perez said the DA is adjusting project costing following the increase in fuel prices.

“Our challenge now is that, because oil prices are rising, we cannot finalize the per-kilometer cost of our roads. So, we are closely coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to standardize pricing,” he told reporters.

Mr. Perez said the DA is now targeting the start of procurement and all bidding activities for FMR projects in May.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel V. de Mesa said the delay is necessary to avoid bidding failures due to outdated cost estimates.

“If we insist on the previous prices, the bidding will fail, so adjustments are needed to ensure that our procurement and implementation are successful, he said.

This year, the DA is taking over the construction of FMR projects from the DPWH, following the 2025 flood control corruption scandal.

The DA’s Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering is the lead office for the program.

The FMR program was allocated P33 billion in the 2026 national budget to fund more than 1,600 projects, covering over 2,000 kilometers of roads.

With the takeover, the DA has said it expects to accelerate project implementation and reduce the previously estimated cost of around P15 million per kilometer for a five-meter-wide FMR. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel