M’lang, Cotabato – The construction of the Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) that connects Barangays Dugong and Sangat in M’lang, Cotabato, is now complete, marking a major milestone for the local agricultural community since project development began in 2025. The FMR project, which spans two kilometers and costs PhP 39 million, was jointly implemented by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The newly paved road addresses long-standing transportation hurdles for local agriculture, connecting roughly 1,000 hectares planted to rice, coconut, and other crops, directly to commercial markets and trading hubs. Before the completion of the FMR, severe road inaccessibility prevented motorized vehicles from reaching farm sites.
Ulpiano T. Sampiano Jr., a rice farmer cultivating three hectares in Barangay Dugong, shared farmers like him were forced to rely on carabaos to haul their harvest, paying as much as PhP 25 per sack of rice for transport alone describing it as a heavy financial burden that significantly reduced their net household income.
Sampiano is a member of Dugong-Langkong-Sangat Irrigators’ Association.
“Commuting into the agricultural zones was nearly impossible during adverse weather conditions,” Sampiano recalled saying that the completed infrastructure now allows light and heavy vehicles direct access to the fields, dramatically lowering transport expenses.
He further added that the construction of the farm-to-market road has been a huge help in transporting their produce from the fields straight to the markets.
With two phases finished, local officials and farming communities expect a sustained boost in terms of improved income margins for farmers and other agricultural workers, and faster commute times for residents across the barangay.
For 2026, more farmers across SOCCSKSARGEN are set to gain better access to markets as more than PhP 3.5 billion worth of FMR projects are slated for implementation across the region.
During the Mass Signing of Memorandum of Agreement in Koronadal City on July 31, DA – Regional Field Office (RFO) XII Regional Executive Director Dr. John B. Pascual said that a total of 85 FMR projects will be implemented aiming at spurring agricultural development and improving rural connectivity in Region XII.
To date, DA-RFO XII has successfully completed 441.64 kilometers of FMRs valued at PhP5.5 billion across SOCCSKSARGEN. (Aaron Benjamin T. Porras)
An aerial perspective of a newly constructed farm-to-market road in Barangays Dugong and Sangat, M’lang, Cotabato, strategically located amidst sprawling rice paddies. This vital infrastructure project by the Department of Agriculture ensures efficient transport of agricultural inputs to farmers and seamless market access for local produce