KIBUNGAN, Benguet – Dozens of farmers from the different calamity-stricken barangays in this fifth-class town will be receiving technical assistance from the Cordillera Hydroelectric Power Corporation (COHECO) for them to recover their sources of livelihood after the Typhoon Lawin ravaged their harvestable agricultural crops.
COHECO officials will be visiting the town to turn over their assistance and join the people and officialdom of the municipality in the celebration of the town’s 28th founding anniversary on November 22, 2016.
The assistance of the local power corporation to the calamity-stricken farmers will consist of several packs of vegetable seeds and assorted materials for the construction of sturdy greenhouses that will protect the produce of the farmers from weather disturbances that will visit the locality.
COHECO is set to start the construction of its 60-megawatt hydroelectric power plant after it secured the consent of the indigenous peoples organizations of Kapangan and Kibungan for the exploration, development and utilisation of the resources within their domain for the eventual operation of their power plant in Cuba, Kapangan.
Earlier, Mayor Cesar Molitas announced that the local government will be celebrating the town’s 116th anniversary as a municipality and the 28th year of celebrating the town’s founding anniversary through simple but meaningful events after Typhoon Lawin inflicted heavy damages to the houses and sources of livelihood of people.
Among the simple activities lined up for the celebration are a community mass, founding anniversary program, tree planting, and thanksgiving rites.
Molitas also directed barangay officials to coordinate with schools the identification of the potential tree planting sites where trees distributed for the simultaneous tree planting activity will be planted.
The municipal government submitted a request to the COHECO management for funding to rehabilitate infrastructure projects and provide sufficient assistance to recover the livelihood of farmers to allow them to cope with the heavy damages inflicted by the typhoon on their farms.
COHECO management opted to provide assistance to the affected farmers in the different barangays considering that major infrastructure projects are the responsibility of the government.
Molitas explained the fundraising activity to generate resources for the calamity victims will still continue, thus, the public is exhorted to purchase the printed shirts the proceeds of which will be given to the calamity victims in the form of financial and technical assistance.
By HENT
