Senator Kiko Pangilinan welcomed the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) launch of its transparency portal, calling it a positive and necessary step toward greater accountability and good governance in the agriculture sector.
The transparency portal, accessible at https://fmrwatch.bafe.gov.ph, provides detailed information on the government’s farm-to-market road (FMR) projects.
Among other things, the public can now access the total number of projects, the total cost of investments, and the status of projects.
Anyone can also explore specific information about the FMR projects, such as the start date, the actual completion date, the duration of construction, the total budget, target length, contractor, implementing agency, and current status.
“The initiative strengthens public trust by giving citizens access to timely and accurate information on the DA’s programs, projects, and use of public funds.”
Pangilinan said the initiative strengthens public trust by giving citizens access to timely and accurate information on the DA’s programs, projects, and use of public funds.
“Mahalaga ang transparency sa pagi-implementa ng mga proyektong ito, lalo na sa panahon na napakababa ng tiwala ng publiko sa gobyerno. This portal ensures that government resources truly reach our farmers and fisherfolk,” the veteran legislator stated.
“By opening its data to public scrutiny, the DA is reinforcing its commitment to integrity, efficiency, and service to the people.”
“By opening its data to public scrutiny, the DA is reinforcing its commitment to integrity, efficiency, and service to the people. Good governance thrives when the public is informed,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
As chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, the senator was instrumental in pushing for the portal’s inclusion in the special provisions of the DA’s 2026 budget, which he sponsored.
Aside from the transparency portal, he also successfully pushed for the inclusion of geotagging and a citizens’ participatory audit to prevent corruption in the implementation of the FMR projects, which received P33 billion in funding for 2026.
Pangilinan expressed hope that the portal will be regularly updated and fully utilized as a tool for monitoring, evaluation, and collaboration.
