The completion of an 803.60-meter farm-to-market concrete road in rural Barangay 47 Bengcag here now provides farmers and residents in the community and nearby villages more convenience, particularly during the rainy season.

Loelyn Acain on Monday said going to Bengcag now is like a “walk in the park” with solar-powered street lights installed along the new and wider road.

Palay and corn growers here are also thankful that the travel time from their village to the market has been significantly reduced from 20 to 10 minutes after the government cemented the once muddy road.

“Life was difficult back then when bringing our products to the market. Only small vehicles can pass, some even got stuck in the mud,” said Olympio Bajado, 66, a farmer from Bengcag village.

For Bengcag village chief Cathleen Ubay, the improvement of the road was a dream come true for the rural villagers.

“We have been hoping for this project for a long time and now and we are happy that the government made it possible. We are so thankful for it,” she said.

The PHP9.7 million farm-to-market road improvement is part of the convergence program of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Ilocos Norte First District Engineering Office and the Department of Agriculture. (PNA)