BONTOC, Mountain Province (PIA) --Three newly-rehabilitated farm-to-market roads in the municipality of Bontoc provide safer, more comfortable, and faster travel for residents, especially farmers who transport their produce to the markets.

The  construction of the Am-ancho farm-to-market road (FMR), and the Bontoc-Dalican FMR which were funded under the Local Government Support Fund-Financial Assistance to local government units (LGSF-FALGU), and the construction of Am-ancho slope protection wall which was funded through the incentive that the town received for getting the Seal of Good Local Governance in 2022, primarily benefited  residents of Barangays Dalican and Bontoc Ili.

Mayor Jerome Tudlong Jr. and Municipal Engineer Paul C. Nadcop Jr. handed over the certificate of turn-over and acceptance to punong barangays Eva Mila Fana-ang of  Dalican, and Crispin Chang-awen of  Bontoc Ili, during the inauguration and blessing of the projects on March 6. 

The ceremony was witnessed by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Provincial Director Evelyn B. Trinidad and other local officials. 

Tudlong emphasized that these projects were implemented through the collective efforts of the various departments in the local government unit, and partner line agencies.

“Whatever output, whatever fund, we all worked for it- from the engineering, from the MPDO (Municipal Planning and Development Office), from the budget, from the MDRRM (Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office).  This is the output of our collective work. As I always say, if we work together, we will achieve more,” he said.

Trinidad highlighted that all government programs are intended to help and serve the people.

“What we wanted to do for development is to really serve the people. Everything we do is to serve the people. If we build schools, it is for the people; if we build health centers, it is for the people,” she said.

Beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the projects that will provide better access to government services, and open up economic opportunities. They also hope for more projects to further improve the living conditions in the area.

“Today, we can feel the smooth flow of vehicles. Although there are still areas that we need to hike before reaching Dalican, at least we can now take a ride. So, thank you again, mayor, thank you MLGOO, and thank you PD (DILG).Because of your help, our dream finally came true,” Fana-ang said.

Dalican is one of the remote barangays in Bontoc. 

“This is where we felt the hardship of life, but today, we feel the prosperity, and this is because of our collaboration, the LGUs, and agencies concerned. We are very thankful that you always consider us for improvements, and we hope for the next projects,” Chang-awen expressed. (JDP/CVBT-PIA Mountain Province)