KABAYAN, Benguet – Mayor elect Florante Bantales, Jr. assured the residents of the municipality that his upcoming administration will bring more development projects that will contribute in sustaining the town’s growth and progress.
Bantales, who bested 3 other aspirants for the town’s mayoralty post that included incumbent Mayor Basilio Louie Daoal and Vice Mayor Mercules Lamsis, stated that the priorities of his administration will be focused on improving the current state of infrastructure, tourism and agriculture that will elevate the current pace of development to a higher level.
He claimed that the national roads in the municipality are already in good condition and what needs to be done is for the improvement and upgrading of various access roads to allow farmers from the different vegetable-producing communities to be able to continuously transport their agricultural produce to the nearest markets.
The incoming local chief executive added that while the municipal government’s tourism programs, projects and activities are already in place, innovations need to be introduced that will contribute in further improving the various tourist destinations and entice more foreign and domestic tourists to visit the municipality.
Aside from the rehabilitation and upgrading of access roads leading to vegetable-producing communities, Bantales explained that to improve the current state of agriculture there is need to establish the appropriate marketing network with high-end buyers so that vegetable farmers can have the necessary linkages sell their agricultural produce.
According to him, programs, projects and activities that will enhance the productivity of farmers should also be put in place by concerned government agencies and the municipal government to ensure that the farmers can sustain the production required of them by the market so as not to repeat the similar problems that have transpired in the past that resulted in the shifting of sources of the supply of agricultural products.
Kabayan hosts the Mount Pulag National Park, the second highest mountain peak in the country and the highest mountain peak in Luzon, that is frequented by nature lovers because of its natural sceneries.
Bantales expressed his gratitude to the people of the municipality for bestowing on him their trust and confidence to become their next leader and he will reciprocate such trust with sincere and dedicated service that will contribute in elevating the status of the municipality to a higher level.
He disclosed that he will continue to work for the overall development of the municipality so that it will become one of the well-developed municipalities in the province, especially in terms of tourism and agriculture that serve as major sources of income of the people.
The mayor-elect also vowed to look for other partners of the municipal government to help in further enhancing the progress it achieved so far.
