Sen. Francis Pangilinan warned against any attempt to misuse funds for the government’s P33-billion farm-to-market road (FMR) program, vowing strict oversight and zero tolerance for corruption.
He said safeguards are in place, including Senate investigations and subpoenas for anyone found exploiting the program.
Pangilinan noted that the 2026 FMR budget will feature transparency measures such as an online public dashboard, geotagging of projects, and citizens’ participatory audits.
The program’s implementation will now be under the Department of Agriculture to ensure that farm roads directly support agricultural productivity and rural development.
He added that strict validation of project costs, technical details, and competitive bidding with LGUs and the private sector will be enforced to address the 60,000-kilometer backlog of farm-to-market roads.
Source: PhilNews24 | January 18, 2026
