Ambaguio, Nueva Vizcaya – For Engineer Norman Romero, the spirit to keep going in the sense of odds in the mountainside is very inspiring. He has seen an easier task, not this faced by the Municipal Project Management and Implementing Unit (MPMIU) of Ambaguio. They have worked overtime with the engineers and saw to it that the program of work (POW) is met without sacrificing the design and the quality of work.

“The burning commitment of the officials of the Municipal Government and the patience and fortitude of the workers inspired me. Never in my life have I seen such dedication and harmony between the contractor and the implementing party,” Romero said.

After the groundbreaking ceremonies, the workers and equipment have started clearing and grubbing, pushing their way up as they followed the detailed engineering design (DED) of Tiblac-Dulli farm-to-market road (FMR). They have brainstormed on the easiest way doing the laborious and tedious way of making the road ready for the next phase which is roadway excavation.

The inclement weather did not stop them. All they have in mind is to keep going that the road will open a wider market to the produce of the tribal farms. They referred problems to the engineers who brainstormed in order to offer the best solutions.

The No Objection Letter (NOL 2) given by the National Project Coordination Office (NPCO) earlier this year signaled the Municipal Local Government Unit (MLGU) to implement the subproject and give the notice to proceed (NTP) to the contractor, Edfrovon Construction to mobilize and start to rehabilitate the road.

The FMR, with a project cost of 133 million pesos, directly supports tomato, priority commodity of Ambaguio, aside from rice, sweet potato, cabbage, ginger, squash, cucumber, snap pole beans, white beans, and sweet pepper.

“This road which spans 7.8 kilometers is very significant to us. It will ease the problem of our farm folks in transporting their products to the trading posts and market sites. During the rainy season, the farmers are hard up, coming this way. Also, the pupils and teachers agonizingly trek this road to reach school. Once cemented, their burdens would cease. This subproject will bring inclusive growth in this part of Nueva Vizcaya,” Mayor Arnold Dinungon said.

The present road is near impassable during the rainy season. It winds uphill towards Mahamhaman, Dulli and farther up in barangay Tiblac. High-value crops, especially tomato are planted on hillocks on both sides of the road.

Situated along the Bayombong-Ambaguio provincial road connecting barangays Tiblac and Dulli, the FMR is 12 kilometers away from the capital of Nueva Vizcaya with 3 barangays within its road influence area (RIA) and 1,056 households engaged in agricultural activities.

The town, nestled up between mountains is home to the Kalanguya and Ayangan tribes. These tribes have preserved their own customs and traditions. Lacking plains to plant their crops, the hardy people cultivated mountainsides to grow cabbage, squash, tomato, snap pole beans and potato. In Tiblac and Dulli alone, a total of 6,890.02 hectares are planted with these crops.

“This FMR will lift the spirits of the indigenous people here in Ambaguio towards agriculture. We have been burdened in transporting our products down to Bayombong. In the same manner that it is difficult to bring supplies and basic household needs up here. The FMR will lessen the cost of transportation and production of our crops,” Jun Dulawan Dulawag, a barangay official said.

“We carry our crops on our shoulders up to Bayombong. When the road will be concreted, it will be easier for us to transport our products,” Mr. Gabriel Danao, indigenous people’s mandatory representative (IPMR) said.

The second farm-to-market road proposed by LGU Ambaguio, Ammoweg-Camandag FMR was approved for endorsement to the Project Support Office (PSO) by the Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB 2) during its 23rd Business Meeting. The third proposed FMR, also RPAB approved, is Poblacion-Labang FMR. (Dr. Ferdinand N. Cortez, RPCO2 InfoACE)