Two North Cotabato villages get P5.3-million Pamana projects

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 29): Two North Cotabato villages get P5.3-million Pamana projects

About P5.3 million worth of projects were turned over by the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Peaceful and Resilient Communities) Program or Pamana of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) to two villages of Kabacan, North Cotabato, officials said.

These include rice mill building (P2.250 million), warehouse (P1.9 million), solar dryer (P688,750) or a total of P4,838,750 in Barangay Pedtad, and another set consisting of a Peace Center (P4.490M), solar dryer (P688,750) and water system rehabilitation (P71,250) in Barangay Nangaan, both in Kabacan municipality.

The project turnover in Pedtad village was witnessed by Cotabato Governor Emmylou Mendoza, Cotabato 3rd District Representative Jose “Ping” Tejada and Kabacan Municipal Mayor Herlo Guzman.

Barangay Pedtad chairperson Romeo Mantawal, barangay council officers and residents received projects which will be benefited by the constituents in terms of livelihood.

Barangay Pedtad, once a conflict-stricken area in Kabacan became the latest recipient of Pamana program along with other conflict affected villages in the province of North Cotabato and other parts of Mindanao.

Mantawal said was exceptionally happy to receive the projects saying that Pamana already put two projects in the village. These were the fishpond for the village’s fisher folks and rubber dispersal program for qualified farmers.

“We are indeed very fortunate to become again a recipient of these projects from Pamana. We would like to thank Governor Taliño-Mendoza for her efforts in identifying our village as recipient," Mantawal said.

"It is an exceptional thing that within her first term she was able to make those projects possible,” Mantawal added.

The warehouse, after the turnover, was immediately ready for use as well as the solar dryer and the farm equipment.

On the other hand, Barangay Nangaan chairman Matog Lumambas, through Mayor Guzman has expressed his gratitude for the projects received by his village.

The Peace Center, put up in the center of the village according to him is a symbol of harmony and unity in the place despite the previous conflict situations encountered.

“This structure would somehow uphold the present peaceful situation here in the village of Nangaan. With projects put up by Pamana here, then we expect that peace would ultimately reign here,” Lumambas said.

He lauded Gov. Mendoza for actively implementing livelihood projects not only in his place but also in other villages in Kabacan.

Many residents of Nangaan village rely mainly on agriculture for work and livelihood, thus their need for a solar dryer.

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