Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the Department of Agriculture (DA) has created a watchdog unit to ensure the responsible implementation of infrastructure programs, particularly farm-to-market roads (FMRs), whose development will return to the DA from the Department of Public Works and Highways starting next year.
“The recent controversy surrounding flood control projects underscores why we need a strong safeguards system,” Tiu Laurel said.
“This watchdog unit ensures that every DA project is transparent, accountable, and fully aligned with environmental and social standards.”
“We cannot afford gray areas or blind spots. This watchdog unit ensures that every DA project is transparent, accountable, and fully aligned with environmental and social standards,” the agriculture chief added.
The scale of the task is enormous. The national FMR roadmap details 131,000 kilometers of needed rural roads, but over 60,000 kilometers still haven’t been built. These roads are vital for lowering transport costs, reducing post-harvest losses, and enhancing the movement of produce from farms to markets.
Alongside FMRs, the DA is expanding its infrastructure with food hubs, cold storage facilities, and rice mills. France has pledged support for around 300 steel bridges in 52 provinces, aimed at improving access for farmers in remote areas.
Oversight will now be strengthened under the DA’s newly formed Interim Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) Unit, created through an administrative directive. The unit institutionalizes safeguards tools first developed under the World Bank–supported Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP). These include environmental assessments, social risk reviews, and stakeholder engagement protocols that will be integrated into all DA offices, bureaus, attached agencies, and regional field units as the department ramps up climate-resilient programs.
The agriculture head said the SES Unit will craft a department-wide SES institutionalization roadmap, harmonize standards, embed safeguards into every stage of project planning and procurement, and ensure compliance with national regulations and development-partner requirements. A nationwide network of trained safeguards officers will provide oversight at both central and regional levels.
The unit will coordinate with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, and the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, along with financing partners including the World Bank and IFAD. The move follows a World Bank recommendation under the PRDP Scale-Up to establish permanent safeguards positions for continuity.
At the national level, the SES Unit will be led by a supervisor and senior specialists, while regional field offices will form their own teams led by junior specialists.
“The strengthened structure is vital as the DA advances sustainable, accountable, and community-protective agricultural development.”
Tiu Laurel said the strengthened structure is vital as the DA advances “sustainable, accountable, and community-protective” agricultural development.
With billions of pesos in rural infrastructure in the pipeline, the department aims to minimize environmental risks, protect communities, and close compliance gaps that have historically slowed projects. The administrative order takes effect immediately.
