Balbalan, Kalinga begins construction of P89.8M road and bridge projects

Balbalan, Kalinga – Transport connectivity will now be improved in one of the conflict-affected areas in Balbalan – Barangay Poswoy - as P89 million worth of road and bridge projects shall now commence following a groundbreaking ceremony held on August 6.

The infrastructure projects are funded by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU through the PAMANA (Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan) program.

The implementation of said project was a result of a Provincial Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) consultation in 2022.

After the consultation, the task force, headed by Governor James Edduba, determined the pressing needs of the barangay as proposed by its barangay officials.

Edduba instructed the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) to craft a resolution for project funding to OPAPRU. Endorsements of the projects was later made by the Regional Development Council, along with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Kalinga.

When Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. visited Kalinga, the resolution was handed to him.

Necessary processes were made until it reached the Memorandum of Agreement Signing that transpired on March 14, 2024, at the Philippine International Convention.

The signing signalled the start of the implementation of the projects, including another road project benefitting Tanudan.

Validation for said projects was later conducted in July and is now followed by said historic event, as described by the provincial local government of Kalinga.

The project is expected to be completed in December this year if there are no delays

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Meanwhile, in a speech made by Edduba during the ceremony, he urged the people of Poswoy to no longer back anti-government movements and support the plans of the government instead for continuous progress and development.

He likewise recalled the difficulty of bringing government services to said community back then due to the presence of leftist groups in the area.

“Ngayong may peace and order na, nakarating na dito ang mga ganitong projects. Ang dahilan lang naman na may umaalsa noon ay dahil hindi makarating ang serbisyo ng gobyerno sa malalayong lugar para masolusyunan ang problema ng mga mamamayan. Ngayon, we have brought the government services closer to the people, nasolusyonan na ang mga problema ng taumbayan,” he said.

“Sana naman ay wala nang dahilan ang komunidad upang sumama sa mga taliwas ang pananaw, dahil magiging kawawa na naman ang kumunidad,” he added.