LACUB, Abra (PIA) — Local communities in this remote town of the province are benefitting from the seven infrastructure projects of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
Funded under Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP), the projects include the concreting of three 200-meter access roads worth P4 million each, namely the Buneg Access Road, Guinguinabang Local Access Road, and Buyatan Access Road; and the construction of One-storey School Building in Barangay Lan-ag worth P4M, Upgrading of Lan-ag Level III Water System worth P2.6M, Provision of Solar Electrification at Barangay Bacag at P4.4 M, and Construction of Classroom School Building in Barangay Poblacion worth P2.5M.
The provincial TF-ELCAC Abra, spearheaded by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Abra, Abra Police Provincial Office, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine Information Agency led the inauguration and turnover ceremony of the projects.
Lacub Mayor Nestor Bersamina acknowledged the sustainable benefits of the NTF-ELCAC programs toward lasting peace and local development.
“Dagitoy nailungalong a programa ti ELCAC ket adun ti naited na a pagsayaatan dagiti naduma-duma nga ili. Isu nga dakkel ti panagyaman mi kadakayo a nangidaulo daytoy a program ditoy ili mi,” Mayor Bersamina said.
(These programs implemented by ELCAC have been of great benefit to the different towns. We thank everyone who led this program in our town.)
Lacub is a SBDP beneficiary since 2022.
Bersamina appealed to the national government to sustain the funding of more projects under ELCAC, especially to the remote areas.
“Sapay kuma ta idanon ti DILG ti kangatoan nga opisina nga ituloy da ti panagited ti proyekto ti ELCAC kangrunaan kadagiti adayo a lugar ta napadasan tayo metten ti pagsayaatanna kadatayo,” Bersamina added.
(We expect that DILG will bring to the attention of the national government to continue funding projects under ELCAC especially to remote areas since we have experienced its benefits.)
Grade 12 student Aldrix Manuel of Alfredo D. Bersamina National High School said that it is challenging to study in a remote town, given the learning conditions of their school particularly classroom shortage.
“Ditoy ayanmi, agkurang kami talaga ti classroom isu nga mayat ta napili ditoy ayanmi a maikkan ti classroom manipud ELCAC,” Manuel said.
(We are in need of classrooms here so it’s good that our school was chosen to receive a classroom from ELCAC.)
As a student who wants to become a teacher someday, Manuel said that studying here is challenging due to limited access to facilities.
“Napateg ti panagadal gapu ta ditoy Lacub ket adayo, isu nga masapul igaed ti agadal tapnu maabot dagiti pangarap, kas kaniak nga mayat ti agbalinto a teacher,” Manuel said.
(Education is valuable especially here in our remote town, so I need to study hard to reach for my dream of becoming a teacher.)
DILG-Abra Cluster Head Mary Jane Abance congratulated the Lacub LGU for successfully completing the projects that conform with standards ensuring quality and physical sustainability.
“Congratulations to the Local Government Unit of Lacub. These projects will not be successful without your leadership. Special mention also to the members of the Provincial Task Force in your participation in the monitoring of these projects that assured quality and sustainability,” Abance said. (JDP/CAGT-PIA CAR, Abra)
