BUTUAN CITY – Residents from the local government units of Buenavista, RTR, and Cabadbaran City, all in Agusan del Norte expressed gratitude to the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) for the completion of the farm-to-market road (FMR) projects in their barangays.
OPAPRU Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr. shared that they will be allocating additional budget for the phase 2 of the construction and road improvements.
“This is a testament of the government’s continuous support to the community and to the conflict afflicted areas in the region for them to benefit from the peace agenda and development programs of the government,” he said.
The four farm-to-market road projects, with a total amount of P317 million, turned over to the provincial government of Agusan del Norte by the OPAPRU under the program on PAyapa at MAsaganang pamayaNAn (PAMANA) are the following:
- Upgrading/Improvement/Construction of Afga – Sitio Linao-Linao Farm-to-Market Road with Bridge (Phase 1) in Barangay Lower Olave, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte
- Upgrading/Improvement/Construction of Mahaba – Belwang Farm-to-Market Road (Phase 1), Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte
- Upgrading/Improvement/Construction of Balang-Balang – San Antonio – Kaunlaran Farm-to-Market Road (Phase 1), RTR, Agusan del Norte
- Upgrading/Improvement/Construction of Kaunlaran – Masundong – Sumubay Farm-to-Market Road (Phase 1), RTR & Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte
Hilario Sajolan, punong barangay of Barangay San Antonio, RTR, Agusan del Norte, thanked the OPAPRU for concreting their road that gave convenience in transporting their agricultural products and prevented the insurgency activities in their barangay.
“The infirmary of the leftist group used to be situated in our barangay because it was hard for government troops to enter our place because of the difficult and rough road. The leftist members freely loitered around our place, carrying with them high powered firearms, but now they are slowly surrendering back to the government,” he said.
“We carried our harvest using our bodies, exerting all our might and strength to bring them to the market. Today, we can easily transport our products because vehicles can now pass using the cemented roads,” Sajolan added.
With the FMR, we can now feel that our government is supporting us. I hope that more funds will be allocated to our barangay to reach more sitios and far-flung areas in the province,” shared Jerry Escobilla, a resident of Lower Olave, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte. (MFC, PIA Caraga)
