If the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) have allegedly anomalous flood control projects, then the Department of Agriculture (DA) may have anomalous farm-to-market road (FMR) projects.

With this, the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives has filed House Resolution (HR) No.421, which calls for an investigation into overpriced FMR projects by the DA in conjunction with the DPWH.

The measure--authored by ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co--specifically tasks the Committee on Public Accounts and the Committee on Agriculture and Food with the inquiry.

Amid this controversy, it wasn't lost on the filers that President Marcos took on the role of DA secretary early in his term, specifically from June 2022 to November 2023.

"There is a need to thoroughly scrutinize the National FMR Network Plan 2023-2028 formulated and finalized during the stint of Pres. Marcos Jr. as the Agriculture Secretary, and more importantly, to conduct a thorough investigation into all farm-to-market roads for possible overpricing and corruption," the Makabayan solons said in HR No.421.

"In light of the exposition of widespread and systemic corruption in the government, it is imperative for Congress to expose and hold accountable all those involved as it is unconscionable that billions of people's money are lost to corruption instead of being used for the benefit of the Filipino people," they added, seemingly referring to the flood control projects corruption scandal has rocked the Marcos administration.

According to the militant lawmakers, recent investigations have revealed "alarming instances of overpricing and potential fraud regarding FMR projects".

They said that according to Annex 5.5 of the DA's National FMR Network Plan (NFMRNP) 2023-2028, the estimated national average cost of typical FMR is P9.486 million per kilometer.

"However, based on the same document, the DA's proposed base budget cost for a basic FMR is P15.91 million per kilometer, which includes the cost of drainage, structural integrity, climate proofing, and an additional P1 million for "better connectivity and street design;"" the Makabayan bloc said.

"The difference between the estimated national average cost and the DA- proposed base budget cost of FMRs is P6.4 million per kilometer," the group of administration critics pointed out.

"The NFMRNP was formulated and finalized by the Departments of Agriculture, Public Works and Highways, the Interior and Local Government, Trade and Industry, and Tourism, and was published on June 20, 2023,' while President Marcos Jr. was still serving as the Agriculture Secretary," they added.

The measure further noted that the DA, DPWH, DILG, DTI, DOT and DAR issued Joint Administrative Order No. 2 on Nov. 10, 2023 for the adoption and implementation of the NFMRNP 2023-2028.

"The Administrative Order was signed by the secretaries of thesaid departments, including DÀ Secretary Tiu Laurel a week after his appointment," HR No.421 said.

The Marcos administration targeted 64,155.20 kilometers of FMRs to be concreted and 67,255.46 kilometers of existing FMRs to be maintained from 2023 to 2028, it further noted.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)--in a statement cited by Makabayan--noted that several contractors involved in these projects do not appear in the DPWH Civil Works Contracts Database. This suggests possible use of ghost firms or politically connected entities operating outside proper accreditation and oversight, the group said.

The solons also said the massive backlog of 36,000 kilometers of FMR "indicate[s] systemic failure in infrastructure development for the agricultural sector".