A foreign-funded farm-to-market road project in Quezon worsened inequality by strengthening the power of rural elites

20 Jan 2026

This study rigorously explored the multifaceted impacts of the Japanese-funded farm-to-market road (FMR) project in Agdangan, Quezon, focusing on its effects on landowners, traders, and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs). Through qualitative methods such as direct observations, interviews, and focus group discussions, the research assessed the effectiveness of the FMR in achieving poverty reduction and economic development in rural communities. The findings revealed that while the FMR boosted the economic activities of landowners and traders, it exacerbated inequalities, leaving ARBs marginalized and without equal access to resources. Applying Tanya Murray Li’s frameworks of “The Will to Improve” and “Capitalism from Below,” the study demonstrated how local political and economic structures influenced the distribution of benefits, reinforcing rural elites’ power and deepening existing disparities.

This research contributes to political science by highlighting the role of power dynamics and local governance in shaping foreign aid outcomes, emphasizing the need for inclusive approaches that address structural barriers. By focusing on how the project benefits certain groups, like wealthier farmers, while neglecting marginalized ones, it highlights the uneven impact of development projects. It calls for future research to explore the long-term impacts of such projects, with a focus on social justice and equity, and the influence of local political structures on international aid, aiming for more equitable and sustainable rural development. The study also explores how local power dynamics, such as landownership and political influence, shape the project’s outcomes, revealing that foreign-funded projects may reinforce existing social hierarchies rather than alleviate them. This work contributes to development studies by emphasizing the need for inclusive, context-aware planning to ensure that infrastructure projects foster equitable development for all.

Author: Ma. Josephine Therese Emily G. Teves (Department of Social Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Manila)

Read the full paper: https://brill.com/view/journals/ppsj/45/3/ppsj.45.issue-3.xml

Image by Elmer Domingo from Pexels

A foreign-funded farm-to-market road project in Quezon worsened inequality by strengthening the power of rural elites

This study rigorously explored the multifaceted impacts of the Japanese-funded farm-to-market road (FMR) project in Agdangan, Quezon, focusing on its effects on landowners, traders, and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs). Through qualitative methods such as direct observations, interviews, and focus group discussions, the research assessed the effectiveness of the FMR in achieving poverty reduction and economic development in rural communities. The findings revealed that while the FMR boosted the economic activities of landowners and traders, it exacerbated inequalities, leaving ARBs marginalized and without equal access to resources. Applying Tanya Murray Li’s frameworks of “The Will to Improve” and “Capitalism from Below,” the study demonstrated how local political and economic structures influenced the distribution of benefits, reinforcing rural elites’ power and deepening existing disparities.

This research contributes to political science by highlighting the role of power dynamics and local governance in shaping foreign aid outcomes, emphasizing the need for inclusive approaches that address structural barriers. By focusing on how the project benefits certain groups, like wealthier farmers, while neglecting marginalized ones, it highlights the uneven impact of development projects. It calls for future research to explore the long-term impacts of such projects, with a focus on social justice and equity, and the influence of local political structures on international aid, aiming for more equitable and sustainable rural development. The study also explores how local power dynamics, such as landownership and political influence, shape the project’s outcomes, revealing that foreign-funded projects may reinforce existing social hierarchies rather than alleviate them. This work contributes to development studies by emphasizing the need for inclusive, context-aware planning to ensure that infrastructure projects foster equitable development for all.

Author: Ma. Josephine Therese Emily G. Teves (Department of Social Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Manila)

Read the full paper: https://brill.com/view/journals/ppsj/45/3/ppsj.45.issue-3.xml

Image by Elmer Domingo from Pexels