The rough stretch connecting Sitio Bannauan, Barangay Banban, and Guideged in Conner is no longer an afterthought. It is now a finished road ready for turnover.
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), in tandem with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), conducted the final inspection on March 7, of the Banban-Bannauan-Guideged Farm-to-Market Road (FMR), a 1.9-kilometer project that farmers in the area have waited on for decades.
The inspection team was led by DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Atty. Penelope B. De Ausen, alongside engineers and project focal staff from the partner agencies.
Funded under the Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF), the Php 29.85 million road project broke ground on April 29, 2024 and wrapped up construction by February 12 this year. With the official turnover scheduled in April, local farmers are already bracing for what could be a defining shift in how they move, trade, and grow.
Barangay Captain Francisco Gante, members of the Barangay Local Government Unit (BLGU), the Banban Farmers Agriculture Cooperative led by Arsenio Tumbali, and Provincial Agrarian Reform Coordinating Committee (PARCCOM) Lorna Ayala joined the inspection, supporting the local ownership of this long-awaited landmark.
Said project was secured through continued coordination among Congresswoman Eleanor C. Bulut-Begtang, Governor Elias C. Bulut, Jr., and DAR Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III. It is a visible, tangible product of consistent representation that is not just announced, but delivered.
And it will not end here. The road will soon stretch farther. Additional funding from the 2025 national budget has already been secured to extend the route, with the same team set to see it through.
Most economic opportunities in the province are still gated by geography, however, a farm-to-market road like this does not just link points on a map – it changes outcomes. The trucks will come. The markets will open. And for once, the farmers of Banban, Conner will not be the last to arrive. By Diocen Tolentino
