Monday, October 30, 2006
Road brings hope to remote barangay
MALAPATAN, Sarangani -- Barangay Kinam can only be reached by horses and heavy vehicles.
To reach the area from the national highway, it takes almost two hours, 14 river crossings, and numerous climbs for a vintage weapons carrier.
The dirt road partly becomes a waterway during rainy days.
Governor Miguel Dominguez and Major General Ernesto Boac, commander of the 10th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, flew in by chopper Wednesday for the groundbreaking ceremony of the P9.6-million Kinam-Sapu Masla farm-to-market road.
When completed, travel time would reduce to 20 minutes with a new 17-kilometer road.
The new road project, 20 percent of which is funded by the Provincial and Municipal Government Units, is a grant under the Support to Emergency and Livelihood Assistance Program of the Department of Agriculture.
"This is the first time that elected officials visited us more than once. We can really see that they are sincere in their development efforts," said barangay chief Toting Maguan.
Barangay Kinam has a population of more than 5,000 residents, 95 percent of them belong to the indigenous B'laan tribe.
"I won't lose hope with the people of Kinam. Until there is hope in their eyes, I will continue to bring in development in this barangay," said Dominguez during the groundbreaking ceremony.
The governor initiated social and medical services to Kinam last year, setting off regular visits for free check-up and free medicines, free tooth extraction, circumcision, malaria test and blood typing.
With its vast fertile lands, the barangay has slowly transformed itself into a potential agri-investment area.
Meanwhile, Malapatan Mayor Alfonso Singcoy bared that a campaign against loose firearms in the barangay has started with the "Balik Baril Program."
"This will be a big help in our peace efforts," said Mayor Singcoy.
The "Balik Baril Program" has a corresponding amount for every gun turned-over to the government. The owner of the firearms also has the option to register their weapons to the proper government agencies. (SIO)
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(October 30, 2006 issue)
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