PILAR, Abra (PIA) – Around 5,000 residents in seven barangays in the municipality of Pilar benefit from 11 Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP) projects under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
Mayor Tyron Christopher Beroña, Department of the Interior and Local Government-Abra Provincial Director Daisy Payang, municipal and barangay officials, national line agency representatives, and the community led the inauguration of barangay health stations, school buildings, and a Level III potable water supply system in barangays Tikitik, Kinabiti, Nanangduan, Pang-ot, Villavieja, Dintan, and Bolbolo on November 20, 2024.
Payang explained that the projects worth P46,248,175.1 are part of the government efforts to ensure peace and development in the grassroots.
“Ituloy tayo nga imentenar daytoy peaceful nga ili tayo nga Pilar. Nagasat ti munisipyo ti Pilar ta adda manen nalpas nga 11 projects for 2023 nga nagapu ti SBDP. Dagitoy projects ket na-implement successfully and now being used by the seven barangays,” she said.
[Let us maintain the peaceful condition of Pilar. The municipality of Pilar is lucky that 11 projects under the SBDP for 2023 have been completed. These projects were implemented successfully and now being used by the seven barangays.]
During the inauguration program, Beroña thanked the national government for the opportunities given to the folks in Pilar, as he urged the beneficiaries to take care of these facilities.
“Sapay kuma ta dagitoy naited kanyatayo ket ipateg tayo kuma ken alagaan tayo kas panagalaga tayo met iti uneg ti balay tayo. Manmano laeng ti kastoy nga maikkan iti proyekto iti barangay nga nagdakkelan. Kanayon kuma nga nadalus ta haan da mauma kanyatayo nga mangted ti proyekto,” the Mayor emphasized.
[Hopefully, we will take care of these facilities given to us just as we value our homes. It is seldom that barangays are given projects this much. May we always keep them clean so that they continue giving us projects.]
Beneficiaries of the different projects also expressed their gratitude and relief for the projects that will benefit them in terms of better healthcare services, improved delivery of basic education, and access to safe drinking water.
“As-asideg daytoy nga kumamangan mi nu adda agkasapulan kadakami ti tulong maipanggep iti salun-at,” shared Tikitik Punong Barangay Felicisima Curbi during the inauguration of their Barangay Health Station.
[We have now a facility that is near if we need health services.]
Aside the health station, Tikitik residents also have a solar-powered potable water supply system that brings safe drinking water direct to the households.
Meanwhile, Kinabiti Elementary School Head Teacher II Elimar Bautista is thankful for their new school building that will serve 125 pupils from Kindergarten to Grade 6.
“Daytoy ket maysa nga foundation tapno ma-nurture dagiti learners ti Kinabiti Elementary School. We are thankful to the leadership of our local government, the DILG, and most especially the NTF-ELCAC,” he expressed.
Nanangduan Punong Barangay Cristy-ann Gayao also shared the benefits of their new barangay health station and their improved school building especially that the old one was damaged by previous typhoons.
“Naadaan ti ubbing ti eskwelaan aglalo ta ti kallabes ket awan ti napintas nga pagiananda gapu ti bagyo ket naperdi dayta school building da ket tattan, napapintas ken napabaro. Mabenepisiaran dagitoy ubbing, haan da nga mapan iti adayo nga lugar,” she shared.
[The children now have a school. They did not have a conducive learning space because the school building was damaged by typhoons. Now it has been improved to benefit the children.]
In Barangay Pang-ot, Human Resource Officer Catherine Dasalla shared that the new health station brought medical and healthcare services nearer compared before when they need to walk at least 15 minutes to reach the nearest health facility.
“Dakkel nga tulong kadakami ta naadaan kami ti kastoy nga balay pagagasan, asidegen ti umayan dagiti mangmangted ti pagsayaatan para iti salun-at,” she said.
[Having a health facility is a big help to the community. Health services will now be more accessible.]
Aside from the health station, barangay Pang-ot is also a recipient of an improved school building through the SBDP.
Barangay Villavieja implemented the construction of a barangay health center with a solar power component comprising of solar panels and a 51.2-volt lithium battery.
Villavieja Punong Barangay Aizel Dizon shared that the solar powered health station is very useful not only for the health and wellness of the community but also during power outage.
Punong Barangays Addie Cabanting of Dintan and Lorenzo Dufale of Bolbolo also shared the benefits of their SBDP projects particularly on the health and education of the community.
The SBDP projects in Pilar mostly started construction during the fourth quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024.
Under the NTF-ELCAC, the community are involved in the identification, planning, and implementation of SBDP projects. It is one of the initiatives of government to promote peace and progress in the countryside. (JJPM- PIA CAR, Abra)
