By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporter
Batac CITY—At least eight barangays here composed of more than 5,000 households will benefit from the on-going rehabilitation of a farm to market road at Brgy. Rayuray village, this city.
Worth PHP170.3 million funded by World Bank in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and Ilocos Norte government under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), the Billoca-San Juan farm to market road is the second largest infrastructure project here in Region 1.
Also included in the package are eight bridges. These are the entry and exit points of commuters from the interior Barangays of Nagbacalan, Baoa West and Camandingan in Batac City. Farmers and traders also pass this route particularly in Barangay San Juan that connects Batac to Sarrat town.
Residents like Noli Lacambra of Camandingan said he is grateful for the project as the project composed of five packages would certainly improve their way of life.
“We harvest mangoes and vegetables in our farms. But due to the poor road condition which decreases the quality of our harvest during transport, we only get low market price for our products,” Mr. Lacambra said citing even their school children have trouble in going to school during rainy season because of the sad state of their bridges submerged in water during heavy rains.
On September 8, 2017, the project finally break ground.
The project includes a 12.24-kilometer farm to market road and the upgrading and expansion for Sta. Cruz de Noto bridge, Bulilising, Caoayan, Rayuray, Camandingan, San Pedro and Pandan.
Its winning bidder, the Taylan Construction and Development will complete the project next year.
Once completed, they expect the transportation cost reduction by 20%, travel time by 60%, increase traffic by 60% and reduce transport losses of fresh products by at least 10%.