DA-MIADP breaks ground on landmark ₱17-M road project in Daraghuyan Ancestral Domain

 

MALAYBALAY CITY — The Department of Agriculture – Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project (DA-MIADP) Regional Project Coordination Office 10 (RPCO 10) held a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony on February 10 for its first infrastructure subproject in the Daraghuyan Ancestral Domain (AD). The 1.184-kilometer Farm-to-Market Road (FMR), which connects Sitio Damitan and Sitio Ulangohon in Barangay Dalwangan, marks the beginning of the project’s full-scale implementation in the region.

During the event, DA-MIADP Project Support Office (PSO) Project Director Macario D. Gonzaga underscored the project’s dedication to providing community-responsive interventions. He stated, “Kini nga Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) gituman ug gitumong aron makatabang sa atong mga igsuon nga IP Farmers nga dugay na nga panahong naglisod og hatod sa ilang produkto sa merkado tungod sa kalisod sa dalan ug sapa nga tabokon.”

Director Gonzaga added that the FMR offers hope for stable economic opportunities and encouraged the residents to monitor the construction as the primary beneficiaries of the road.

Mayor Jay Warren Pabillaran expressed the city government’s full support, emphasizing the need for indigenous communities to increase their agricultural yields to sustain the investment. In his message, he remarked, “Importante kaayo mapalambo nato atong mga produksyon kay kini nga project, gi loan kini ug dapat mabayaran nato pinaagi sa pagpalambo sa atong economic activity.”

DA-Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) Regional Executive Director and DA-MIADP RPCO 10 Project Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan likewise lauded the strong coordination between the local government and the Daraghuyan community. He shared, “Mapasalamaton kami sa kusog nga pakigtambayayong, labi na sa Daraghuyan AD nga kini atong gihimo karon nga FMR masugdan na. Na appreciate namo ang kusog nga suporta sa local nga pangagamhanan sa Malaybalay kay mao pud na ang nakapa-paspas sa pagpatuman niini.” Director Pacamalan noted that the department remains committed to the upliftment of the ICC/IPs of Bukidnon.

In her response, Bae Inatlawan expressed her gratitude for the progress, stating, “Namunga ug namulak gayud ang atong pag-paningkamot. Dili lang unta diri taman ang pag-paningkamot sa tribu kay basin muabot ang panahon nga ang Daraghuyan mahimong modelo dinhi sa Malaybalay ug sa probinsya sa Bukidnon.”

The two-lane FMR, which has a total budget of ₱17,008,435.87, officially began construction on February 6 and is expected to be completed within 195 working days. The infrastructure is projected to benefit 244 households and support the transport of priority commodities such as coffee, banana, abaca, and corn.

The ceremony was attended by key officials from the City Local Government Unit (CLGU) of Malaybalay and the Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU) of Bukidnon, represented by Provincial IPMR Datu Makayuba Renato Sumbongan. National government agencies, including the NCIP and DENR, were also present alongside leaders from the Indigenous Political Structure (IPS) and the Indigenous Peoples Organization (IPO) of the Daraghuyan AD. # (K. Chan-MIADP 10)