THE public can now access information on rural infrastructure projects and monitor their progress with the launch of the FMR Watch, a transparency portal to farm-to-market roads, the Department of Agriculture announced on Friday.
FMRs are gravel or paved roads that directly connect agricultural production sites, coastal landing points and postharvest facilities to markets, local roads and main highways. They reduce transportation costs, lower travel time for farmers, increase the economic value of agricultural goods and improve rural access to essential services like schools and hospitals.The DA has taken over FMR implementation from the Department of Public Works and Highways, which is currently embroiled in the biggest corruption scandal to hit the country.This year, the DA was granted a budget of P33-billion to build over 2,300 kilometers of FMRs.Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the DA will hire third-party auditors to certify the completion of FMR projects, including the quality of FMRs, and link up with civil society groups, especially farmer and fisherfolk groups, to help monitor and certify the completion of the projects.He likened FMR Watch to a flashlight, saying it would allow the public to see where the country’s funds are being directed.“The public — farmers, fisherfolk, LGUs (local government units), citizen watchdogs — will see where roads should be, how projects are progressing, and whether there is proper implementation. No smoke, no mirrors; just maps, data and accountability,” Tiu Laurel said. “If roads only exist on paper, FMR Watch will expose it.”FMR Watch consolidates data, evidence and feedback, allowing the public to track the progress of projects from proposal to completion.The public may also use it to search for specific projects. The site would then show details of each project, including location, budget, procurement data, contractor, project start and target completion date, site photos and project status.The portal has a map, which shows each FMR project and the agricultural production areas supported by these project, particularly those for rice, fisheries or high-value crops.Data is provided by the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Management Information System, with additional information from monitoring, such as budgets, milestones, geotagged photos and citizen feedback. This will be updated regularly, subject to the DA’s validation and data management policies.It has a livestreaming feature to enable the public to monitor related events and activities. Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE) Director Cristy Polido previously said this may include livestreams of bidding and procurement activities. The public may also watch recorded videos of previous livestreams.E-report featureThe public may submit FMR-related concerns or complaints through the website’s E-report feature through comments, feedback, photos, videos or other proof of evidence.The site allows anonymous reports to encourage public participation. However, such reports are subject to review and validation by the concerned offices.All reports would be acknowledged immediately and forwarded to the concerned regional field offices (RFOs) for verification and action. The DA said it aims to respond to reports within three days upon submission, depending on the complexity of the issue.The portal, which currently contains data from FMRs funded by the DA’s Farm-to-Market Road Development Plan, will soon include projects under the Philippine Rural Development Plan, Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project, Sugar Regulatory Administration and the Philippine Coconut Authority.Other agencies and LGUs may also partner with the BAFE for project onboarding, defining reporting cadences and enabling local validation workflows.FMR Watch was developed and is managed by the BAFE through the Information System and Digitalization Division. RFOs will also have a hand in managing the platform, particularly in addressing and responding to concerns from the public.It may be accessed on fmrwatch.bafe.gov.ph anywhere through various devices with mobile data or internet connection.It is the government’s response to the call for good governance through transparency, accountability and community participation in FMR implementation, the DA said. “The platform encourages citizen involvement in project oversight, helps detect issues early and supports government accountability.”