THE Department of Agriculture (DA) will come up with a farm-to-market road (FMR) masterplan to empower rural communities and promote food security amid the looming crisis.In a meeting with agriculture officials, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the concurrent secretary of the DA, said the FMR masterplan, which will serve as the government’s guide, should include regional maps detailing the exact locations where the farm-to-market roads will be constructed.The plan includes the funding source, payment terms, as well as the timeframe for the completion of the project.Marcos said it should be studied thoroughly and will be presented to the country’s economic managers.“Kung sabihin nila saan ba ang areas na talagang kailangan nating buksan? We will go to Public Works. And also, what are the areas that we really want to open, that really need the FMR? Iyon ang unahin natin,” he said during the meeting.Marcos said he wanted official development assistance-funded (ODA) projects to be constructed in priority areas identified by the government.He said the state-funded FMR projects, on the other hand, should be taken care of by the DA and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).It was also suggested that agricultural infrastructure should be climate-change resistant, such as projects that are not prone to landslides and other calamities.Marcos said the plan should prioritize areas with active agricultural production in a bid to address issues on supply chain.“FMR is the first step to solve some of the supply chain problems. So unahin muna natin ‘yung nagpo-produce,” he said.In his earlier interviews, Marcos said as the head of the DA, he will go back to basics and rebuild the value chain of agriculture with urgency to address supply chain concerns.Meanwhile, Marcos reiterated during the meeting that the DA is not spared from the government’s effort to “rightsize” government functions and streamline the bureaucracy to promote efficiency in public sector management. (SunStar Philippines)