LEGAZPI CITY, March 24 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) is investigating the implementation of a farm-to-market road project intended to improve market access for farmers and reduce post-harvest losses in an agricultural town in Albay.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Monday inspected a suspected "ghost" FMR project in Barangay Lower Binogsacan, Guinobatan, Albay, casting fresh scrutiny on a 1-kilometer-long, 5-meter-wide access road that was supposed to ease farmers' transport woes even before the pandemic.

Initial validation by the DA's Internal Audit Service in November found that the FMR was not implemented at its approved site.

"Actually, that's what was said earlier, that we are looking for it because appare...