P25M FMR in Lagayan, Abra completed; Over 1,100 households now benefitting

Lagayan, Abra - What used to be a struggle going through muddy treks and carabao-pulled carts is now a thing of the past for the residents of Collago, Lagayan,Abra, as the P25 million farm-to-market road (FMR) project in the barangay opens to full usage after its recent completion. 

Funded by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the road covered 1,500 meters, with features all designed to withstand the place’s tough terrain and weather, such as the heavy rains that cause rivers to swell and further isolate the community. 

These include a box culvert (a precast concrete structure, typically rectangular or square, used to carry water under roads) and reinforced concrete pipes (a durable, strong, and cost-effective underground structure used for drainage), and more.

According to the Philippine Information Agency—Abra, over 1,100 households in Collago and nearby barangays are now reaping the benefits of the project. 

Farmers can now transport their produce more safely without delay, and essential government services have become easier to deliver to the community. 

The road was officially opened on April 28 through a ceremony led by DAR National Director of Project Development Services Von Mark Mendoza, DAR-CAR Regional Director Samuel Solomero, Lagayan Mayor Edmarc Crisologo, and Barangay Collago officials, among others.

One of the residents, Mario Montero Casibo, during his interview with the PIA-Abra, recounted the severe lack of infrastructure that once defined their daily life. He said that the old road in their barangay was so narrow and muddy that even basic transportation was nearly impossible. 

With the new road in place, they are now experiencing faster travel, easier access to markets, and improved delivery of their agricultural products. 

“Narigat idi ta diay kariton ti nuang laeng ti makadalan nga mapan Lucgay. Nailet dayta a dalan idi…Tattan ta nangted met ti gobyerno babaen ti DAR nasimpan ti kalsada mi, nadardaras ti biyahe, isu a makinabang kami amin,” Casibo shared.