Gov’t to extend infra, livelihood, housing programs for ELCAC brgy in Canlaon City
By Roi Lomotan / Philippine Information Agency
CANLAON CITY – Infrastructure projects, livelihood support interventions, and housing resettlement for residents living in danger zones were some of the programs and services which government line agencies including the Provincial Government of Negros Oriental will extend to Brgy. Budlasan, this city.
Officials from government line agencies, city government, and the provincial government gave their commitment to provide these interventions during the "Dagyawan sa Barangay: Talakayan ng Mamamayan" event held Nov. 5, 2020.
Dagyawan is a form of dialogue between government and residents of barangays affected by insurgency.
The purpose of the dialogue is to come up with strategies to resolve local issues and concerns which are used by alleged terrorist group New People’s Army (NPA) to make the people turn against the government.
Brgy. Budlasan is one of the 10 additional barangays identified as priority areas in Negros Oriental for the government convergence efforts under its whole-of-nation approach to end local communist armed conflict strategy this year. Brgy. Budlasan Chair Lauriano Jakosalem called on concerned government agencies and cited the need for a housing resettlement for households living in danger zones. “(Ang) Budlasan proper, naigo mi sa hazard zone 13 years na. Naay 115 ka housing apan ang karon ang nahuman 5. (Naa pa sa) 110 ang kulang. Kung mobalik ang kalamidad asa namo sila ibutang? Dapat mahatagan mo ug solusyon (Budlasan proper has been situated in a hazard zone for 13 years already. There was a plan to establish 115 housing units but until now only five were built. There are 110 units that are not built. If another calamity hits, where will we put the families at risk? This should be resolved),” Jakosalem explained. In response to this, Canlaon City Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas announced that a P5-M budget has been allocted in 2021 to be used in this project. Aside from the housing project, Jakosalem also noted the importance of concrete roads for the transport of their agricultural produce. “Ang mamaligya ug utanon, for example 50kgs ilang dad-on sa midtown. Pag-abot sa midtown di na siya kaabot ug 50kgs mabalda man siya kay mabalda sa motor. Ang 50kgs, 40 na lang (For example, those who are selling their vegetable produce, when they go to midtown they carry 50 kgs. of vegetables but when they reach their destination the weight is reduced because they are crushed along the way. The 50 kgs. would have decrease to 40kgs. when they arrive at midtown),” Jakosalem said. Executive Assistant to the Governor Angelo Tiongson disclosed that the provincial government was ready implement the road concreting project reaching Brgy. Budlasan.
However, there was a delay in the start of the project because one of the contractors tested positive in his COVID-19 rapid diagnostic test. “Rest assured maybe on the 15th of the month masugdan na siya. Naa pod ta ongoing concreting didto sa Brgy. Budlasan (Rest assured, this will push through hopefully on the 15th of the month. We also have an ongoing concreting in Brgy. Budlasan),” Tiongson said. Cardenas also disclosed that the city government has allocated P500,000 for the said project. Apart from this, Jakosalem said they have identified the following priority interventions they need from the government: livelihood trainings for women, provision of fertilizers for their agricultural produce, electrification in four sitios that are still unenergized, construction of covered courts, and provision of equipment for their health center. In terms of livelihood skills training, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Provincial Director Joel Villagracia said their office is willing to coordinate with the barangay to identify which skills training is appropriate for the residents of the area. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 4Ps Provincial Link Reggie Locsin also referred them to their city social welfare and development officer for the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) which they can also avail of in terms of providing livelihood opportunities to their constituents.
Meanwhile, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Provincial Director Johnjoan Mende appealed for understanding and patience from the officials and residents of Brgy. Budlasan in case these projects would not materialize immediately due to government process of planning and budgeting. However, he underscored that government agencies are present to listen to their concerns and include their proposed projects in their budget for planning for 2022. On the other hand, Negros Oriental 1st District Cong. Josy Limkaichong, who was also in the Dagyawan, requested the officers of Brgy. Budlasan to give their full support to the government in the campaign against insurgency. “This is a genuine commitment of the government and I hope the people in Budlasan, (ipaabot) sa inyong mga katawhan na serious ang gobyerno sa pagtabang ug pagsuporta aning atong gitawag na end of (local communist armed) conflict (I hope that you will communicate to your constituents that the government is serious about ending local communist armed conflict),” Limkaichong said. Being the vice-chair of the Committee on Appropriations in the Lower House, Limkaichong expressed her commitment in supporting this endeavor by sponsoring the budget for ELCAC programs in the Congress. (ral/PIA7-Negros Oriental)