Beneficiaries in Kalinga have affirmed their involvement and commitment in ensuring good construction and maintenance of farm-to-market roads funded by the PRDP and thus outlive their 20 years life expectancy.

In a consultation recently held in Tabuk City, Kalinga during the 3rd World Bank Implementation Support Mission, Engr. Rauol Azanza, World Bank Consultant asked the beneficiaries of the two subprojects: Improvement of Banneng-Gombowoy Farm-to-Market Road in Tanudan and Improvement of Bulanao-Amlao Farm-to-Market Road in Tabuk City about their involvement in the ongoing concreting of said roads, and what are their plans to maintain these.

Mr. Addamag, a resident of Barangay Suyang and beneficiary to the Bulanao to Amlao road said that their barangay officials and some barangay constituents have volunteered to participate in the monitoring of the ongoing construction in their area, having been oriented on monitoring procedures.

“Ti maysa nga aramiden mi nga pang alaga iti kalsada mi ket habang madama iti implementation ma, tultulungan mi dagita engineer nga mang monitor no usto met laeng iti araramiden da nga mangsemento tapno no mai turn over kadakami, ket mayat met saan nga ma bareng-bareng iti kalsada tapno no ma turn over kadakami, forever dayta a kalsada. So tatta pay laeng ket makibantay kami o usto met laeng iti pang aramid da iti kalsada.” (At the onset of the road concreting, we assist the engineers in monitoring implementation activities so that when the road shall be turned-over to us, it will not be substandard will last long.  So as early as now, we already make sure that this is so by being vigilant and active in this task),” said Kagawad Michelle Dumawing of Barangay Lay-asan, Tanudan.

Anent to this, several beneficiaries confirmed that through “bayanihan system”, which is among their cultural practices, they will be able to remedy minor damages, like removing road obstructions, repairing minor landslides and the like.

However, funding of major repairs shall be coursed through the Provincial Government and other funding sources aside from the PRDP.

Earlier, the PRDP’s Regional Project Coordinating Office in CAR conducted information caravans in barangays affected by said two FMRs, to orient the residents of the affected areas about the PRDP, highlighting also the formation and orientation of Barangay Inspectorate Teams, the Grievance Redress Mechanism Committee, among others. (Mabel Zabala, CARPCO InfoACE Unit)