ILOILO Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. led last October 31 the groundbreaking of the construction of the four-kilometer pathway from Barangay Jayubo to Barangay Cabatangan Proper in Lambunao town.
The long awaited access road worth P19,371,497.81 is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and is implemented through the Agroforestry Support Facility (ASF) project under the Forestland Management Project (FMP) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Western Visayas.
The pathway starts from Sitio Agdalusan, Barangay Jayubo and is connected to the existing Cabatangan hanging bridge. It is intended to provide access to the far-flung barangays of Cabatangan in support to the anticipated agroforestry (coffee) and other farm products of the residents particularly the members of Amakan Inc., the people’s organization beneficiary of the FMP in the area.
The ceremony was also attended by officials of Cabatangan and Jayubo, municipal officials, and DENR-Western Visayas officials led by regional executive director Jim Sampulna.
Governor Defensor said the fund was sourced from the P500-million FMP budget intended for the province of Iloilo. It was distributed to the towns of Janiuay, Calinog, and Lambunao.
Defensor said that when he came to Barangay Jayubo in 1984 when he was still assemblyman, it would take four hours to reach the area from the highway.
But through the provincial government’s road concreting projects, it will now take only minutes to reach the area.
“My second dream for Lambunao is to have all roads leading to barangays concreted. And I believe that it will nearly be fulfilled,” he said.
“And this is my third dream and since it is not feasible to construct a wider road in the area, we settled for a concrete pathway that would provide access for motorcycles and multicab,” he added.
Mayor Jason Gonzales said the pathway would facilitate a convenient way of transporting agricultural produce from the mountain area of Lambunao to the town proper.
The provincial government also allotted P1.5-million for the solar lamp project for Barangay Cabatangan.
The bidding process is already completed and is subject for release by the municipality. (PR)