Apayao sets course to recovery and resiliency

LUNA, Apayao – The provincial government has laid down the plans for the economic and health sectors amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
A workshop was held to reset the development directions of the province in response to the new normal by first containing and managing the Covid-19 as much as possible, a citizenry adhering to minimum health standards, and by developing an adaptive and resilient community and overall economic recovery. 
“As a province, we must develop self-reliance and resiliency while trying to adapt to the intricacies of a ‘better normal’ and apparently recover from this (economic) crisis,” Gov. Eleanor Bulut-Begtang said during the recovery and resiliency planning workshop held on Aug. 13 and 14 in Flora. 
Consistent with the provincial physical development and framework plan and Begtang’s 10-point development agenda, priority will be programs and projects to be anchored directly in the barangays down to the communities both for health and economic sectors. 
Apart from the upgrading of health facilities, expanding Covid-19 bed capacities and increasing the manpower of the various district hospitals, ensuring the readiness of the community people is seen to bolster public health sector in response to the challenges brought about by the pandemic in the province. 
Increasing and strengthening interventions for agri-fishery, livestock, and other sub-sectors of the economy were also taken into account through integrated farming, developing certain commodities into industries like coffee and providing seed capitals to small farmer organizations and strengthening needs and priority-based livelihood programs among others, with the goal of institutionalizing farmer’s capability to become self-sufficient “agri-preneurs” to increase and sustain productivity.
Plans for the other sectors such as education, environment, social, governance, disaster risk reduction and management, and infrastructure as integral factors in the development process were also presented before the provincial local finance committee.
Vice Gov. Remy Albano assured the full support of the sangguniang panlalawigan to all the development advocacies and programs of the governor by passing necessary measures to back up the implementation of the same. – Jaylord Agpuldo