Barangay Bagtic in Silay City formally opened its new 1.445-kilometer farm-to-mill road, paved for the first time in about 60 years.
Rep. Javier Miguel “Javi” L. Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) led the inauguration of the Php 22.23-million project, funded under the FY 2025 Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Farm-to-Mill Road program, on Friday, November 13.
Punong Barangay Gracel Balongo said the road had remained unpaved for six decades, leaving generations of farmers, haulers, and residents to depend on a route that turned difficult to pass with every heavy haul.
The completed road ends that wait for one of the barangay’s main routes to the mill, a press release from the office of Benitez said.
According to farmers and delivery drivers, trucks hauling sugarcane now reach First Farmers in about 10 minutes on the completed road. Before construction, bringing farm produce to a mill or selling point took around 20 to 25 minutes.
The road serves a barangay of 8,410 residents, and 612 households have been identified as direct beneficiaries.
Agriculture is a major source of livelihood in Bagtic, where many residents work as sugarcane laborers. The neighboring communities of Dos Hermanas, San Fernando, and Concepcion also use the route.
Residents said the road was previously muddy and potholed, with loaded sugarcane trucks struggling through and pedestrians, including students, fearing the trucks would tip over. Limited vehicle access also led to late school arrivals and slower ambulance response.
The work covered site preparation and clearing, earthworks and road excavation, and subgrade preparation. It also included construction of the road base and sub-base, followed by pavement construction.
Beyond sugarcane hauling, the barangay said the paved road has eased daily commutes and lowered fares.
It added that dust has decreased and more residents now walk, jog, cycle, or use e-bikes along the route, while residents feel safer when trucks pass. *
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