PIA: P20-M road rehabilitation project in Dumingag officially started
DUMINGAG, Zamboanga del Sur, 29 Aug (PIA)— The lifelong dream of the residents in the mountainous barangays of Dilud and Saad in Dumingag town is about to become reality.
The provincial government through Governor Victor Yu and 1st district Representative Divina Grace Yu led the groundbreaking ceremony for the PHP20-million-worth of rehabilitation road project of 3.3-kilometer road from Barangay Dilud to Saad in the said town on August 27.
Punong Barangay Jeffry Señara, Sr. of Saad said the rehabilitation of the road has long been a dream of the residents in barangays Dilud and Saad.
“Dako kaayo akong pasalamat ug kalipay sa gihimo nga ground-breaking ceremony sa road rehabilitation project sa among barangay. Human sa pipila ka dekada nga among pag-antos tungod sa lisod nga dalan, sa katapusan gisulbad na sa provincial government,” Señara uncontrollably cried while recounting a memorable personal experience.
(I am very grateful and happy of the road rehabilitation project’s ground breaking ceremony conducted in our barangay. After how many decades of suffering from bad road conditions, finally the problem was given solution by the provincial government.)
Señara is glad that his family will no longer experience the hardship of travelling a long and slippery road when going to the town proper. He is also optimistic that with the rehabilitation of the road, the residents in the two barangays can now access the basic and social services of the government.
Señara said that in 2002 to 2005, barangay Saad was frequently visited by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Arm (CPP-NPA) because the government is not taking care of them. “We have not seen government officials and the Philippine Army visiting our barangay. We feel that we were deprived of government’s basic and social services,” Señara recollected.
But with the road rehabilitation project officially started, he is now very happy that the decade-long problem was given a solution. “This project was successfully implemented through the help of our strong and effective leaders in the province,” Senara happily said.
Meanwhile, Governor Victor Yu, chairman of Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) enlightened the residents on the government’s program to end insurgency problem.
Yu said President Rodrigo Duterte launched the NTF-ELCAC to encourage the rebels to surrender to the folds of government and provide them cash and livelihood assistance.
“In support to PPRD’s EO No. 70, the provincial government will also give reward of P20,000 to a rebel from the province who will surrender and P10,000 to those persons who can also convince a rebel to surrender,” he announced.
Meanwhile, 1st District Representative Divina Grace Yu lauded President Rodrigo Duterte’s sincerity in ending the 50-year old armed conflict with the communist movement saying that of the previous presidents in the country, it was only him who manifested sincere commitment and service in ending the decades-long communist insurgency.
Yu said with the government’s financial and technical support and the diligence and active cooperation of the people, she is confident that peace and progress will be achieved by the residents of Saad.
The governor also encouraged the residents who have relatives fighting in the hinterlands to surrender and live peacefully with their families. (Gideon C. Corgue/RVC/PIA-Zamboanga del Sur)