TORRIJOS, Marinduque — Farmers in Sitio Pawikan, Barangay Tigwi are now experiencing the transformative benefits of a newly completed farm-to-market road (FMR) that promises to boost agricultural productivity, improve transportation, and uplift livelihoods in this remote area of Torrijos, Marinduque.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), through its Marinduque District Engineering Office, completed the long-anticipated infrastructure project aimed at addressing decades-long challenges faced by farmers and residents due to the rugged and often impassable condition of rural roads.
“Napakahirap po ng sitwasyon dito sa lugar na ito. Dati po kami ay ang aming nilalakaran hanggang sa Malibago ay pitong kilometro pa po bago kami makarating po ng aming barangay kung kaya’t hirap po kami,” said Candido Ogayre, a farmer from the area.
“Kami po’y nagpapasalamat ng marami nagkaroon po kami ng napakagandang kalsada po rito sa purok na ito. Sila po ang talagang number one po na pasasalamatan– ang DPWH po, hanggang sa itong kalsada po ay matapos,” he added.
Another farmer, Edison Fortu, shared similar sentiments, recalling the hardship of hauling goods—especially copra—through muddy and uneven trails.
“Noon po talagang kami po ay hirap ilabas ang mga kopra talagang hirap ang mga tao pati kalabaw. Pero ngayon ay maginhawa na, UNang una nagpapasalamat kami sa DPWH at mga staff nila. Nabigyan kami ng magandang daan,” Fortu said.
According to Marinduque District Engineer Richard Emmanuel P. Ragragio, the project involved the construction of a 1-kilometer long and 5-meter wide concrete road, complete with 1.5-meter gravel shoulders on both sides and stone masonry works to reinforce its durability and withstand heavy use, especially during the rainy season.
Aside from easing the physical burden on farmers, the improved road infrastructure has also reduced travel time from three hours to just 15 minutes, enabling faster access to public markets, agricultural processors, and distribution hubs.
The road also opens new opportunities for economic development, as better transport connectivity is expected to attract investments in agri-based industries, enhance delivery of basic government services, and increase the overall quality of life in the barangay.
The ₱16 million project was funded under the convergence program of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Agriculture (DA)—a national initiative designed to enhance rural connectivity and support the country’s farming communities — with the assistance of Congressman Lord Allan Jay Velasco and Governor Presbitero Velasco, Jr.
Local officials welcomed the project’s completion and expressed optimism that the newly paved road will not only improve daily life for farmers in Sitio Pawikan, but also serve as a catalyst for broader development in Torrijos and neighboring areas.
With better roads now in place, the people of Barangay Tigwi are looking forward to a future where distance, difficulty, and inaccessibility are no longer barriers to progress. — With reports from Ace Sapit, Marinduquenews.com
