TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Corn growers and rice farmers in Barangay Gobgob can now enjoy a much-needed facility following the turnover of a multi-purpose drying pavement during a ceremony held on November 22, 2024.
Punong Barangay Jerry Dumayag, along with members of the Rang-ay Gobgob Agriculture Cooperative, officially received the symbolic key from representatives of the Kapit‐Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KC) and the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO). The facility, funded through the KC PAMANA program of the Cordillera office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, aims to provide farmers with an efficient and safe space to dry their crops.
Constructed with a budget of nearly PhP1.2 million, the drying pavement can accommodate up to 150 sacks of corn per batch. According to Dumayag, this facility will alleviate the common practice of drying products along the national highway, which poses safety and logistical challenges.
Dumayag highlighted that the drying pavement was also designed to function as a recreational area, serving as a basketball court for the community. “During the planning phase, the barangay council agreed not to limit the project to agricultural purposes. We envisioned it as a multi-use facility,” he said.
To realize this vision, additional funding was secured, amounting to PhP112,000 each from the initiatives of Mayor Darwin Estrañero and Governor James Edduba Jr.
The turnover ceremony was attended by representatives from the KC, City Department of the Interior and Local Government, CSWDO, City Planning and Development Office, barangay officials, and various stakeholders.
This initiative reflects the collaborative effort of local government and community leaders to provide sustainable solutions and multifunctional infrastructure for the benefit of Barangay Gobgob’s residents. By Jesse Maguiya
