Quezon’s Remote Villages Get PHL-JICA Funded Php53.6M Infra Projects QUEZON PROVINCE- Farmers from the remote villages of Lopez, Quezon, a town over two hundred kilometres south of Manila, received recently some P53.6 million worth of basic infrastructure projects through the combined efforts of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the town’s local government unit (LGU). In a turnover ceremony held at sitio Sto. Nino Ilaya in the presence of community leaders, officials of the DAR, JICA and the LGU turned over to the villagers the newly-built 5.4-kilometer Cogorin-Mabanban farm-to-market road (FMR) with bridge and six units of potable water supply system, with the officials leading as well the groundbreaking of a pump irrigation project that is capable of irrigating around 50 hectares of farmlands. DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Jerry Pacturan said the P40.6-million Cogorin-Mabanban FMR now connects the MSS Agrarian Reform Community to the adjoining barangays of Lopez and is expected to boost economic activities in the area. “We hope this road network will pave the way for the delivery of other equally important basic services like health, technology, transportation and education facilities to these rural communities that were once inaccessible and sadly, cut off from mainstream development,” he added. Farmer Felixberto Arellano said the road will make transporting farm goods from their upland homes a lot easier and faster, unlike before when they use horses and carabaos to bring down their products to the market.“It was very hard before, especially during rainy season when the roads are thick with mud.” He said even their children are now spared from at least 45 minutes of trekking a rolling terrain just to attend their classes. JICA chief representative Takahiro Sasaki said, “ Japan has never wavered from its unending commitment to help the Philippines, especially those from the countryside. ” Sasaki praised the Aquino administration for its determination to bring development to far flung areas saying “the Lopez project is a giant step to make the country’s economic advancements inclusive, that should redound to a more peaceful and investment friendly environment.” Meanwhile, Col. Alex CapiÑa, commanding officer of the 2nd Infantry battalion of the Phlippine Army, who was present during the ceremony said he was very happy to personally witness the realization of the project as he intimated that soldiers detailed in the area in the past have invested so much sweat and blood, when military forces were then trying to open up the channel for human and transport access but was repeatedly blocked by armed groups believed to be insurgents. The six potable water systems on the other hand, which amounts to P513,374.00 is expected to provide safe and clean drinking water to some 150 households from barangays Sto. Nino and Ilaya. DAR Regional Director and project manager Erlinda Pearl Armada said that the water residents get from their wells was not fit for drinking apart from these wells dries up during the summer. “They have to go to the lowlands to buy drinking water which adds up to their daily expenses,” said Armada. “The Php12.5 million pump irrigation project which is should to be operational before the end of the year, is expected to help farmers double their income as they can maximize rice production to three cropping seasons, unlike before when they relied mainly on rainwater,” Armada continued. In his speech, Lopez Mayor Isaias Ubana urged his constituents to take good care of the basic infrastructure projects that were turned over to them. He pledged to allot funds for the maintenance of the farm-to-market road.“ “Implemented under the Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project (ARISP), These projects are significant in bringing progress in rural communities. And the DAR will not stop from delivering all possible services to the countryside, especially for the farmers, to help scale up opportunities in the provinces,” said Pacturan. (admin-pas)
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 02:21:08 +0000
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