Road projects launched for 3 NPA-cleared north Negros villages

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 24, 2021): Road projects launched for 3 NPA-cleared north Negros villages (By Nanette Guadalquiver)

GROUNDBREAKING. San Carlos City Mayor Renato Gustilo and First District Rep. Gerardo Valmayor Jr., together with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and Philippine Army officials, lead the groundbreaking ceremony for the Barangay Quezon concrete access road on Tuesday (Nov. 23, 2021). Construction of the road project, funded under the Barangay Development Program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, is expected to start in the first week of December. (Photo courtesy of NegOcc-San Carlos City Information Office)

Some three insurgency-cleared villages in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental will soon have better access roads in transporting their farm produce to the city proper.

The concreting of farm-to-market road projects, funded under the Barangay Development Program (BDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), was launched in the mountain barangays of Codcod, Nataban, and Quezon on Tuesday.

The northern Negros city and the Philippine Army announced these developments on Wednesday, following the separate groundbreaking rites led by city officials, including Mayor Renato Gustilo and First District Rep. Gerardo Valmayor Jr., together with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), army, police and barangay officials.

In his message, Gustilo acknowledged the efforts of the national government in President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order 70, which created the NTF-ELCAC.

“With the help of the provincial government and Congressman Valmayor, these projects will soon be realized to give the farmers ease of movement and transport of their products to the city,” he said.

He also underscored the responsibility of barangay officials to uphold loyalty to the government and keep their places free from the influence of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

Danille Marie Osorio, local government operations officer of DILG in San Carlos City, said construction of the road projects will start in the first week of December.

These will provide residents better economic opportunities and ease in the transport of their farm products direct to the market, she added.

In Barangay Codcod, the road concreting will cover Sitios Cabagtasan, Natuyay and Bedio; Barangay Nataban, from Nataban proper to Binone Elementary School; and Barangay Quezon, from Sitio Alinga-ob to Balabag Elementary School.

The farm-to-market road projects have been identified by the barangays to be funded by the BDP's PHP20-million allocation provided to each village cleared of the influence of the CPP-NPA.

Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, said the realization of the BDP projects is seen to boost the livelihood of the people in these barangays and help resolve insurgency as a whole.

“This is a solid proof that our government is sincere in its commitment to bring its services closer to the people. As a partner in this endeavor, your Army in Negros will continue to provide security and monitoring of the ongoing BDP projects to ensure unhampered construction,” he added.

Quezon village head Roberto Tuting assured the San Carlos City TF-ELCAC they will maintain allegiance to the government and continue to fight insurgency in their community.

“We pledge our support in protecting this project for the benefit of all the residents of Barangay Quezon. We hope and pray that NTF-ELCAC program will continue to be funded by the national government. This gives far-flung barangays a chance to have concrete access roads and other projects,” he added.

The groundbreaking rites were also attended by DILG-Negros Occidental OIC Provincial Director Roselyn Quintana; Lt. Col J-jay Javines, commander of the 79th Infantry Battalion based in northern Negros; Lt. Col. Arthur Baybayan, chief of San Carlos City Police Station; as well as village heads Danilo Lastimoso of Codcod and Anthony Wee of Nataban.

In San Carlos City, five barangays have been identified as insurgency-cleared. The two others are Buluangan and Guadalupe.

The BDP is a hallmark program of the NTF-ELCAC with the end goal of bringing development to former conflict-prone communities.

Each of the insurgency-cleared villages has been allocated PHP20-million assistance through the Local Government Support Fund-Support to Barangay Development Program.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1160808