VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) – – Residents in Burgos, Ilocos Sur thanked the government for the completed projects in Barangays Manaboc, Bangbangar, and Luna through the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
As recipients of the NTF-ELCAC’s Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP), two roads in Barangays Manaboc and Bangbangar have been widened and improved with new farm-to-market roads.
Barangay Bangbangar also received a new school building utilized as a Child Development Center, while Barangay Luna benefited from a newly established potable water system.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) officially turned over these projects on Thursday, December 19.
Manaboc Barangay Captain Sanny Dagdag expressed gratitude for the new farm-to-market road, which helps farmers transport their products to the market more quickly and efficiently.
He said, “This road is beneficial because it makes it easier for us to reach the town center, especially for farmers, since most of our constituents are farmers.”
Dagdag added that their barangay is the largest producer of tobacco in Burgos, producing a minimum of 200 to 300 tons annually, which is why the construction of a farm-to-market road was their top priority when the DILG requested proposals for the SBDP.
Luna Barangay Captain Lourdes Escobar said that most residents in their barangay struggle to find a potable water source, particularly during the dry season when water pumps run dry.
“We are very grateful for this project that solved our problem of lack of drinking water, especially for residents from the eastern part of our barangay. Before this, it was difficult for them to get the water they needed; now, this project has greatly reduced the time and effort our constituents spend fetching water,” she said.
Escobar said the water system can provide potable water for 50 to 60 houses.
On December 20, the DILG turned over new farm-to-market roads for Barangays Patac and Mapanit and a health station for Barangay Bessang.
Since 2021, the DILG has reported the completion of 80 SBDP projects in Ilocos Sur, which included infrastructure initiatives, training programs, financial assistance, and rural electrification through the NTF-ELCAC.
The SBDP aims to improve the quality of life for residents in conflict-prone and conflict-affected barangays by implementing various projects and programs. (AMB/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)
