TUBOD, Lanao del Norte – The construction of P270 million worth of farm-to-market roads in Northern Mindanao went into high gear and expected to be completed by 2010.

It was learned that of the said amount, over P17 million worth of farm-to-market roads in Linamon and Salvador towns in Lanao del Norte and in Manolo Fortich in the province of Bukidnon had been completed.

Some of these projects are also on-going with about 50 to 90 percent completion rate while others are below 50 percent completion, while some are at procurement level waiting for notices to proceed and completion of some requirements, it was gathered.

Under the rural infrastructure (RI) component of the Mindanao Rural Development Program Adaptable Program Loan 2 (MRDP2), Northern Mindanao region is implementing a total of 28 farm-to-market roads.

Among the six regions in Mindanao, Northern Mindanao is leading in the implementation of various subprojects under the MRDP2 in barely eight months of its implementation.

MRDP2 is a poverty-alleviation initiative implemented through the Department of Agriculture (DA) jointly funded by the World Bank (WB), national government, and local government units (LGUs) covering Mindanao’s 26 provinces and 225 municipalities.

The second phase of MRDP seeks to further improve rural incomes and achieve food security through agri-fishery, rural infrastructure, livelihood enterprise and biodiversity conservation projects.

Other RI sub-projects like bridges, irrigation systems, potable water systems, and other infrastructures such as post-harvest facilities are now on the pipeline for implementation in the region, it was further gathered.