LAGANGILANG, Abra August 21 – The provincial government recently completed the construction of a 101-meter footbridge linking the Tingguian dominated village of sitio Malango, barangay San isidro here to the main road network spurring economic activities of the people living in the area.
Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin said the completion of the footbridge project worth P2.3 million showcases the local government’s commitment to effectively and efficiently address major socio-economic concerns of depressed communities for them to be able to cope up with the rapid pace of development in the urban centers.
“The provincial government remains committed to spurring economic growth in the remote villages by prioritizing major development projects that will inter-connect communities and will lessen the burden of people in conducting their desired economic activities to help improve their living condition,” Bersamin stressed.
The steel deck and cable made footbridge was named after Don Felix Paredes, a well-known influential tingguian leader, and it can accommodate at least 1,000 kilos at one time.
With the completion of the newest structure above the river, San Isidro punong barangay Prince Guzman said villagers will no longer be stranded in both sites of their river during the rainy season when the river swells making it unpassable, thus, there will be a significant increase in economic activities in the village in the coming months.
Supossedly, the footbridge was to be inaugurated Saturday but due to the infavorable weather condition brought about by the onslaught of Tropical Cyclone Ineng, the same has been reset to a later date with the Paredes family leading the inauguration rites.
Bersamin expressed his gratitude to the Tingguian tribal leaders, San Isidro barangay officials, Lagangilang municipal officials, the officialdom of the province and the entire village for patiently awaiting the completion of the project and the subsequent use of the same in time for the rainy season.
According to him, the provincial government will continue to prioritize the implementation of development projects that will inter-link remote villages to the nearest urban center in order to contribute in increasing the economic activities in the countryside and contribute in combined efforts to improve the living condition of people that are outside identified growth areas.
For his part, punong barangay Guzman, who initiated the sourcing of funds for the project and the prioritization of the same by the provincial government through the assistance of tribal leaders, barangay and municipal officials, expressed his gratitude to the leadership of the province for considering their clamor for the put up of the footbridge in order to provide convenience to the villagers and at the same time, contribute in the overall efforts to curb poverty in the countryside through accessibility.
Bersamin assured his provincemates that the provincial government will not only rely on its meager resources to provide development projects in the countryside but it will also lobby for more funding support from concerned government agencies and national laders to help move the people of Abra out from the shackles of poverty.
