QUEZON CITY -- Hundreds of thousands of agrarian reform beneficiaries, their families, relatives, and ordinary rural folks are expected to have benefited from 140 bridges that the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has constructed all over the Philippines under the “Tulay ng Pangulo para sa Kaunlarang Pang-Agraryo (TPKP).

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III said the multi-billion-peso TPKP, a joint project of the Philippine and French governments, has been a source of pride for the whole Filipino nation as it opens great opportunities to enhance their socio-economic well-being.

Estrella said the P18.5-billion project has three-pronged objectives: “Promote agrarian reform and rural development, enhance productivity and income, and alleviate poverty among various farming communities.”

“The idea is to link even the remotest barangays or villages to the town and market proper, our way of making them feel that they belong and play a big role in nation-building,” Estrella said.

DAR Undersecretary for Foreign-Assisted Special Projects Jesry Palmares said the project is set to build a total of 188 bridges nationwide.

“As of June 30 this year, a total of 140 bridges under this project have already been finished and are now serving hundreds of thousands of our rural people, while construction for 29 others are ongoing and another 17 more are under pre-construction,” Palmares said.

He added that the two remaining bridges that are set for identification in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat are beset by the lack of funds for their civil work component, citing a report from the Department of Public Works and Highways, the project implementing agency.

Palmares said the TPKP has been identified as one of the priority projects of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in its effort to resuscitate the country’s agriculture industry and keep food supply flowing normally in the major market centers. (DAR)