Three road projects in Ifugao implemented under the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) were inaugurated and turned over to the local government of Ifugao on Oct. 13.
The subprojects include the 4.96-kilometer Junction-Alimit-Nattum farm-to-market road (FMR) worth P140.52 million located in Mayoyao; the 4.6-km Viewpoint-San Fernando FMR worth P124.81M; and the eight-km Anaba-Ducligan-Banao FMR with a 20-meter bridge worth P245.6M – both located in Banaue.
The Junction-Alimit-Nattum FMR covers barangays Palaad and Alimit and also benefits barangays Banao, Nalbu, and Nattum, with more than 290 households.
The Viewpoint-San Fernando FMR connects the two barangays and benefits more than 360 households.
The Anaba-Ducligan-Banao FMR passes through barangays Anaba and Ducligan, and likewise serves the residents of Barangay Banao benefiting more than 270 households.
Aside from serving as access road, the road project will also help resettle people at appropriate settlement areas, not at the rice terraces, Gov. Jerry Dalipog said during the inauguration and turnover ceremonies attended by officials of the DA-CAR, provincial government, and barangay officials from the service areas.
“Houses are now congested along the roads and are even built along the rice terraces. I hope that the opening of these roads will lead to resettlement so we can also preserve our rice terraces as we expand our production,” the governor said.
Ducligan Punong Barangay Clarita Uryan expressed her gratitude on behalf of the beneficiaries of the inaugurated FMR subprojects.
DA-CAR Executive Director Cameron P. Odsey emphasized the role of the LGU in seeing to it that the road is properly maintained.
“Now that these FMR projects are turned over to the LGU, the maintenance work and ensuring that these roads are always open and accessible 12 months a year – on dry, rainy, and even on stormy weather – are also the LGU’s responsibility”, Odsey said.
He commended the dedication and the perseverance of implementing LGUs in seeing to it that from the preparation of the project proposal to completion of the projects, everything is being followed.
Under the DA-PRDP, the province has completed 16 infrastructure subprojects with an aggregate cost of P578.72M and three are under implementation worth P470.95M in support to the champion commodities of Ifugao. – Elvy T. Estacio
