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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider COA flags DTI's farm-to-market infra projects in Northern Mindanao in 2024

COA flags DTI's farm-to-market infra projects in Northern Mindanao in 2024

Published Dec 16, 2025 12:16 pm  |  Updated Dec 16, 2025 01:13 pm
The Commission on Audit (COA) has raised concerns over the slow-paced and non-implementation in 2024 of several farm-to-market infrastructure (FMI) projects of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Northern Mindanao.
In its 2024 annual audit report (AAR) on DTI, the COA said that the DTI entered into a memorandum of agreement with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to implement the FMI projects.
It said that FMI is the direct assistance to enterprises' subcomponents that covers farm-to-market roads (FMRs) -- including drainage facilities, slope stabilization works, and small-scale access infrastructure to secure connectivity of production areas to markets.
In 2023, it also said that the DTI Regional Coordination Unit X (RCU-X) aimed to rehabilitate eight kilometers of roads across Northern Mindanao with five FMRs in Kaatuan, Lantapan; Sitio Roque-Lantawan, Pictauranan, Pangantucan; Nagcaon, Opol; Bal-ason, Gingoog City; and La Libertad-Pulang Yuta-Calube, Tipolo, Kapatagan Access Road.
However, upon verification, state auditors discovered that only two FMRs were fully completed. The other projects were delayed because of rectification works, suspension of project due to delayed payment, among other things, the COA said.
"The slow-paced/non-implementation of several FMI projects scheduled for completion in 2024 had delayed the delivery of benefits, particularly in connecting production areas to markets and supporting the movement of goods and services for smallholder farmers, and micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), ultimately hindering the achievement of program/project objectives," it pointed out in its report.
It then recommended that the RCU-X expedite the fulfillment of requirements of each stage of the projects to avoid delays.
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