LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Benguet Caretaker Congressman and Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Yap disclosed that the province will be getting more than P13 million for the implementation of various high impact development projects under the P4.5 trillion annual budget of the government next year.
Yap, who chairs the powerful House Committee on Appropriations, stated that the approved allocations for the various projects in Benguet next year slightly increased from over P12 billion to more than P13 billion after the bicameral conference committee meetings to pave the way for the realization of numerous uncompleted infrastructure projects in the different parts of the province.
He claimed that included in the funded projects in the province next year will be the proposed completion of the outer ring of the Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT circumferential road to help in speeding up the development of communities outside Baguio city and La Trinidad.
Congressman Yap pointed out that the funds that were provided for the implementation of the various infrastructure projects provincewide will not go to his pocket contrary to what is being insinuated by opposition lawmakers but the same will be used to implement high impact development projects beneficial to the greater majority of the people of Benguet because they will be able to have easier access to their desired destinations inside and outside the urban areas aside from the improved economic activities in the said places.
He pointed out that he accepted the challenge of being appointed as the legislative caretaker of Benguet early this year to work for the sustainable development of Benguet so that it will be able to improve its classification from a second class to a first class province after he will end his term as caretaker congressman in 2022.
The lawmaker claimed that he does not care what other people from other areas have voiced out or will be saying against him on the huge fund allocation for Benguet next year but what is important is the funds will be used for the overall development of the province where many residents will surely benefit from because of the enormous employment that will be generated apart from the enhanced economic activities and sources of livelihood that will be established in the different communities.
According to him, there are still many areas in Benguet that need to be developed because of their present potentials for ecotourism, agriculture, among other related economic activities to provide people with opportunities for employment and other economic activities for them to be enticed to stay in their communities instead of migrating to urban centers that might cause them more problems in the future.
Yap assured the people of Benguet that there will be various high impact development projects that will be implemented in their places in the future aside from the numerous social services that will be cascaded to the grassroots level which had not been actually happening in the past, thus, he wants to show the people a new brand of leadership in the province even if he is not a native of Benguet.
By HENT
