PH, France Near P23.8B Deal for Farm-to-Market Bridge Projects
MANILA – The Philippines is expected to sign a 350-million-euro (about PHP 23.8 billion) Official Development Assistance (ODA) agreement with France to support the construction of bridges connected to farm-to-market roads across the country, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
DA spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the agreement could be signed between April and May, as the project is already in the procurement stage. The funding opportunity came after a DA delegation visited France from February 20 to 27 to discuss possible cooperation.
The project aims to address a long-standing issue in farm-to-market road development. While many roads have already been built to help farmers transport their products, many of them lack bridge components, which limits accessibility in certain areas.
De Mesa explained that bridges are essential for making farm-to-market roads fully functional. Without them, some routes remain difficult to use, especially in places where rivers or waterways interrupt road connections.
The proposed project will focus on building small bridges ranging from 25 to 60 linear meters to support existing farm-to-market roads. Nationwide, the government has identified a need for 1,428 bridges to improve these agricultural transport routes.
Under the agreement with France, 300 bridges are expected to be funded and constructed. More than half of these bridges will be located in Mindanao, while about 30 percent will be in Luzon and 20 percent in the Visayas.
If the agreement is finalized as planned, construction may begin around June or July, with an estimated completion period of three to four years.
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has also proposed the construction of 350 additional bridges, which are separate from the ones identified by the DA.
De Mesa added that France has expressed interest in financing even more farm-to-market bridge projects in the future. Meanwhile, the Philippines is also exploring partnerships with Austria and the United Kingdom to help fund the remaining bridges needed nationwide.
Discussions with these countries are still in the early stages, although possible developments with Austria could take place by 2027.
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