BONTOC, Mountain Province – The provincial government through the Provincial Development Council (PDC) in partnership with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Mountain Province conducted a consultation with various stakeholders regarding the formulation of the Provincial Development Physical Framework Plan (PDPFP) at the Coffee and Lemon, JBA Building, Samoki, Bontoc, Mountain Province.
Aside from the PDC and SP, those who attended included heads of offices or their representatives from the various departments of the provincial government, heads of national line agencies, and leaders and members of civil society organizations.
According to Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator Daniel K. Likigan, the PDPFP is a comprehensive strategy that underpins investment programming, budget allocation, and implementation as it ensures alignment of provincial development goals and national priorities, fostering a coherent and purposeful development path.
Likigan also said that the primary objective of the consultation is to solicit valuable insights from the stakeholders and incorporate the comments and recommendations for the finalization of the PDPFP.
Meanwhile, in his message, Vice Governor Francis O. Tauli expressed his gratitude to the stakeholders for responding to their invitation for a public consultation as regards the PDPFP which he says is among the requirements before the SP will endorse the plan through a resolution to authorities. He further said that the public consultation ensures that the aspirations of the constituents of Mountain Province are captured.
“This plan is aimed to address development concerns which include environment and natural resource degradation, urban sprawl, proliferation of informal settlements, climate and disaster risks, lack of water and sanitation, solid waste management, and other effects of anthropogenic activities which we must all be a part off in the development of our province,” Tauli said.
To reorient the participants on the PDPFP Planning Officer Berfre O. Panyo and Project Development Officer Sally Marie A. Cherwaken discussed the salient points of the plan. Copies of the said PDPFP were distributed during a stakeholders’ meeting held last September 22, 2023.
Civil Society Organization representatives – Rhoda Dalang of the Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera, Rhoda A. Paladino of Mountain Province Heirloom Rice Farmers Agri-Coop, Mary B. Tudlong of the Episcopal Church Women, and Joseph Olsem of Enclean Transport Service Cooperative, voiced out their respective suggestions/ recommendations to be incorporated into the plan in the open forum that ensued.
Board Member Henry D. Bastian, Jr., Provincial Administrator Franklin C. Odsey, SP provincial government assistant department head Andrew A. Magwilang, Likigan, and other provincial officials were one in giving comments, answers to queries, and recommendations during the activity. Hermenegildo C. Castañeda of the Department of Information and Technology also gave an explanation of the status of internet connectivity in the province in response to a query in relation to the blue optic fiber cables that have been installed along roads in the province. By MP Press Release
