TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Rep. Ellen Jesse C. Mangaoang filed a proposed bill in the House of Representatives renaming a portion of the Mountain Province boundary-Calanan-Enrile Road to the Manuel S. Agyao Boulevard in memory of the significant contributions of the former three-term lawmaker to the overall growth and development of the province and its graduation from the 20 poorest provinces in the country.
House Bill (HB) 2431 defines the metes and bounds of the Manuel S. Agyao Boulevard to be the portion of the Mountain Province boundary-Calanan-Enrile road to be the portion that stretches from the Antonio Canao bridge in Barangay Calanan, traversing through Barangays Bulanao and Ipil, up to Alliog bridge in Barangay Nambaran, all in Tabuk City, Kalinga.
Under Mangaoang’s proposed bill, the Department of Public works and Highways (DPWH) shall issue the necessary rules, orders and circulars to implement the provision of the said law within 60 days from its effectivity.
Agyao served as the Assistant Secretary of the DPWH from 2002-2006 before serving as the province’s representative to the House of Representatives from 2007-2016.
Mangaoang pointed out to date, he still holds the distinction of being the only native of Kalinga who was able to reach the position of Assistant Secretary in one of the key government agencies that provide for the basic infrastructure needs of people, especially those living in the countryside.
After his retirement from government service, he served as the representative of Kalinga in the 14th, 15th and 16th Congress wherein he was able to author landmark legislations for the province like the conversion of the Kalinga State College into a state university, the creation of the Upper Kalinga District Engineering Office, the creation of an additional branch of the Regional Trial court (RTC) in the province, the declaration of Kalinga as a tourism development area and the nationalization of several high schools among others.
As a public servant from the time he started as an engineer in the DPWH, rising from the ranks to become an Assistant Secretary, up to his last term as Kalinga’s representative to the House of Representatives, Mangaoaong asserted that former Rep. Agyao provided significant contributions to the socio-economic and infrastructure development of the whole province.
According to him, much of the development of Kalinga in terms of infrastructure is attributable to the relentless determination, service and dedication of former Rep. Agyao in serving the people of the province where he grew.
The two-term lawmaker stated that Agyao’s legacy continues as Kalinga surges forward for greater economic progress and growth in terms of the ongoing socio-economic activities and the state of the infrastructure province-wide.
Mangaong’s proposed bill will be referred to the appropriate committee in the house of Representatives for deliberation and eventual approval before it will be transmitted to the Senate for the passage of its counterpart bill for consolidation and subsequent transmittal to the Office of President Rodrigo R. Duterte for his signature.
The Kalinga Solon remains optimistic on the passage of the law in recognition of the contributions of the former lawmaker to the state of development of the province.
By HENT