LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – National and local officials assured agriculture industry stakeholders of more infrastructure projects that will further improve the state of the industry not only in the municipality but also in the province as a whole.
Initially, Mayor Romeo K. Salda informed strawberry and vegetable farmers during a recent meeting that the municipal government was able to source out some P1 million to widen the narrow portions of the access road from Buyagan, Poblacion leading towards the Benguet Agri Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC) right at the center of the strawberry farm.
He stated that the fund is sufficient to widen the narrow portions of the road but the bridge that will be built over the creek leading towards the trading center will have to be supported by concerned government agencies through the representation of Benguet Caretaker Congressman and Anti-Crime through Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Yap for the same to be realized possibly by this year or next year.
Earlier, Congressman Yap, Gov. Melchor Diclas and Mayor Salda spearheaded a surprise meeting with barangay officials and farmers in front of the BAPTC Thursday to be appraised of their issues and concerns that need immediate and appropriate action by their offices.
On the request of the farmers for the implementation of projects to widen narrow portions of the Bulo creek and dredge the same until it meets the Balili River below the Provincial Capitol, Congressman Yap disclosed that he will try to look into the available budget of concerned government agencies to partially start the proposed project and to work out the inclusion of bigger funds for the same in next year’s budget.
The lawmaker stipulated that he is elated over the positive response of the farmers and other concerned stakeholders on the surprise meeting that was called for the purpose of being provided with inputs on what are their needs that need to be acted upon by the concerned government agencies and other local governments.
He revealed that his office will continue to be engaging the different sectors around the province for the same to provide him with the latest updates on the issues and concerns that affect the respective sectors and what are the needed actions to be undertaken by the concerned government agencies and the local governments pursuant to his desire to sustain bringing genuine public service to the people, especially those living in the rural communities.
According to him, he will continue to make frequent visits to the rural areas of the province because he wants to be personally aware on what are the needs of the people and what projects are supposed to be implemented to effectively and efficiently address the problems of the people specifically on mobility and bringing their quality agricultural produce from the farms to the market.
Yap urged the people not to hessite in bringing to the attention of his office their priority issues and concerns for him to facilitate whatever appropriate actions that should be undertaken by the involved government agencies for the realization of their dreams and aspirations. By HENT
