FOR years, crossing the river was a daily challenge for residents of Barangay Balutakay in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur. Before there was a sturdy hanging bridge, residents had to rely on whatever means they could find to get from one side of the river to the other.
For some, the first way to cross was nothing more than trunks of tall coconut trees.
For children, especially those going to school, the crossing was even more difficult.
Barangay Captain Randy Villarta recalled how many young students, including himself, would fall into the river while attempting to cross the makeshift passage.
Decades later, residents now have a safer and more stable way to cross.
Davao del Sur Governor Yvonne Cagas led the turnover of the newly constructed hanging bridge in Barangay Balutakay on July 31, 2026, marking a new chapter for a community whose daily lives have long been shaped by the river.
The ₱2,499,000 project of the Provincial Government of Davao del Sur is expected to improve access and make daily travel easier for residents.
For Villarta, the new bridge is also part of a much longer story of community effort and government intervention.
He recalled that the first hanging bridge in the barangay was constructed in 1984 through the assistance of Unicef, at a time when the Local Government Code of 1991 had yet to be established.
The bridge was built through a bayanihan system, with Unicef providing the construction materials while local men worked together to build it.
“Gibutang ang mga project diri, unya nagkaguliyang ang mga tao diri, kay wala gyuy labor sa una. Gibutang lang ang project, mga semento nanggahi na ang uban, mao tong gihimong bayanihan system aron ma-construct ang tulay (The projects were brought here, and the people were in a quandary because there was no labor provided before. The project materials were simply delivered, and some of the cement had already hardened, so we resorted to a bayanihan system to build the bridge),” Villarta recalled during the turnover of the infrastructure.
The old bridge served the community for years, but as time passed, residents continued to face challenges crossing the river, particularly during rainy weather.
Villarta also recalled how the Cagases helped improve the river system in Balutakay by widening and deepening the river and cementing both sides to improve water flow and prevent flooding in low-lying communities.
“Sa sige nato'g struggle, sige nato'g singgit unsay solusyon sa baha, and then ni-come up ang The Goat, kinsay The Goat? Si Governor Dodo Cagas [As we continued to struggle and kept calling for a solution to the flooding, The Goat (The Greatest of All Time) came up with one. Who is The Goat? Governor Dodo Cagas],” Villarta recalled.
The improvements to the river system, he said, were part of the community's long struggle to address flooding and improve their living conditions.
Now, with the newly constructed hanging bridge, residents say another long-standing concern has been addressed.
For Nanay Jocelyn Mosqueda, the new bridge brings not only convenience but also peace of mind.
During an interview with the Provincial Information Office, Mosqueda recalled how the old hanging bridge could become slippery and unstable, particularly after rain, making residents afraid that they might slide and fall into the river.
The new bridge, she said, feels different.
“Ah kani, pinakanindot na gyud ni kay di na gyud ta mauyog, dili na mulabyog, lapad na pud (Ah, this is definitely the best one because it doesn't sway anymore, it doesn't swing, and it's wider, too),” Mosqueda said.
For her and other residents, the bridge is more than a new structure connecting two sides of the river; it is a safer passage for children going to school, a more convenient route for the public, and a symbol of how the community's long-standing concerns can eventually lead to change.
Governor Cagas, meanwhile, said she is grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of the province.
“Kung kuhaon na sa Ginoo kini akong posisyon, okay ra pod sa akoa. At least nakita sa katawhan nga wala ko nagbinuang (If God takes away this position from me, I’m okay with that. At least the people have seen that I did not fool around),” Cagas said. CEA