GROUNDBREAKING. Key officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Maasin City government break ground for the World Bank-funded road project in Southern Leyte province in this Feb. 10, 2023 photo. The project will be completed next year. (Photo courtesy of DA) TACLOBAN CITY - After seven years of planning and preparation, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has officially begun the construction of a World Bank-funded farm-to-market road worth PHP176.05 million in Maasin City, Southern Leyte province. At least 4,630 residents in the villages of Hantag, Laboon, Malapoc Norte and Sur, and San Jose in Maasin will benefit from this program under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), the DA regional office reported Wednesday. These five covered villages have a total agriculture area of 1,013 hectares good for coconut, rice, and some high-value crops. "We are very thankful that this project has finally come to reality. But more importantly, this is just a reminder to us