BAGNEN, BAUKO- Three projects under the Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) were inaugurated and turned over to Bagnen Proper, Bagnen Oriente, and Balintaugan on June 19, 2023.
These projects are the improvement/rehabilitation/upgrade of Bagnen Oriente-Bagnen Proper Road, improvement/rehabilitation/upgrade of Bagnen Proper-Balintaugan Road, and improvement/rehabilitation/upgrade of Bagnen Oriente-Bagnen Proper-Balintaugan- Maket-an road.
The said turn-over ceremony cum inauguration was attended by Congressman Maximo Y. Dalog Jr., Governor Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Board Member Johnson Bantog II, and Bauko Officials led by Municipal Mayor Randolph T. Awisan.
Present also were PLTCOL Bernard K. Wong (Deputy PD of MPPPO), and DILG Provincial Director Evelyn B. Trinidad, Bauko MPS led by COP PCT Denio Pacio, MLGOO Ray B. Fiar-od, Bagnen Proper barangay chairman Martin B. Langtiwan, Bagnen Oriente barangay chairman Domingo K. Bissok, Balintaugan barangay chairman Gregory G. Garcia Sr., local officials and community members.
According to Dalog, this project aims to show the people of Bagnen that the government is attending the needs of the community and to bring the government service nearer to the people of the barangay. He also emphasized the role of community in combatting insurgency.
“Tay nan first ay al-alilawen di wadad bangir [communists] et nan nay eskwela sunga mayat no datako metlang ay parentes nan mang-ila isnan an-ak tako. Ilan tako kuma ta baken teken ay army nan umayan da,” he advised. He further assured the public that the commitment of the government is continous through different programs through the SBDP by the ELCAC funds.
Support to Barangay Development Program Projects
Dalog acknowledges the community in choosing the projects as their SBDP to be funded by the ELCAC. The SBDP is among the programs implemented under Executive Order No. 70 implemented to aid community needs as a way to combat insurgency. According to Fiar-od, Barangay Bagnen and Balintaugan are among the barangays identified who are affected by insurgency.
Fiar-od added that in 2019, there is an interagency consultation conducted to assess the pressing needs of the community. “Inmal-ali da salsaludsoden, what are the pressing needs, tay sha nan us-usaren di NPA ay mangibagbaga binay-bay-an di gobyerno dakayo. (They came asking what are the pressing needs because it is what NPA is using to tell the people that the government is not attending community needs.)”
PLTCOL Wong then expressed that these projects indicate government efforts in bringing development in community. This barangay roads help the people to transport easily their agricultural product to market places and to consumers outside the community. He added that the completion of the project helps the uniformed personnel in bringing community assistance in the barangays.
Barangay Acknowledgment and Acceptance
The barangay chairman of Bagnen Proper, Bagnen Oriente, and Balintaugan expressed their gratitude to the people involved in such projects. They also assured that the projects will be taken care of by the community citing bayanihan as a community practice through the years.
“Nu wada magday sinan kalsa, mauway nan umili ay men-ala si raminta da et umey mi dalosan sunga kasiyana nan inyali yu ay project ay sana da esten mi dakami pay dalusan. (If there is a road erosion, people will get their own tools and voluntarily go and clean it. Kasiyana, these projects you gave us will be taken care of.),” Bissok said. By Rosalina G. Pesaña
