P11.7M farm-to-market road brings cheers to Ecija farmers
GENERAL TINIO, Nueva Ecija — A newly-constructed farm-to-market road project in this town worth P11.7 million has brought cheers to local farmers selling their produce and those others plying the area.
Residents of F. Padolino Street in Bgy. Pias expressed their appreciation to the Department of Public Works and Highways-Nueva Ecija 2nd District Engineering Office headed by District engineer Elpidio Trinidad for the completion of the 3.096 kilometer-long farm-to-market road project.
Agatou Victoria, a farmer-resident living in the area for 65 years, shared the struggles the community had faced before the road was finally paved.
“Noong una kasi ubod ng hirap talaga dito. Lalo na kung tag-ulan, talagang nagpuputik at nababalaho ang mga sasakyan. Noong hindi pa ito gawa, dito sa puwesto natin hindi ka makakamaniobra, putikan dito. Isa pa napakalaking epekto sa pagkuha ng mga gulay na bagong ani dito ng mga sasakyan,” said Victoria.
Residents also said that travel time was greatly reduced after the road was concreted because its surface became smoother and its lanes widened, making the ferrying of newly-harvested crops to buyers at the market more convenient and easier.
Farmer Robert Bago, who has lived in this town for 17 years, also described how difficult it was before for four-wheeled vehicles to traverse the area, especially during the rainy season.
Bago said now it becomes more convenient for them to sell their local produce to merchant-traders coming in the municipality for business.
Trinidad said the P11.7 million project was part of the DPWH-Convergence Program with the Department of Agriculture that was funded under the General Appropriations Act of 2021.
