Tabuk City, Kalinga – A tramline will soon be established while an access road was blessed in Dun-ol, Bagumbayan Tabuk City following the recent groundbreaking and blessing rites held on September 8, 2021.
Said infrastructures were granted to benefit the Dallac – Nanong – Minanga (DANAMI) Indigenous Cultural Communities.
DANAMI initiated the request for said development projects as grant relative to the proposed construction and operation of the proposed Upper Tabuk Hydroelectric power plant.
In an overview, project proponent, Engineer Daniel Peckley Jr. said that the DANAMI community requested for several developmental projects in their area which include said access road going to the proposed hydroelectric power plant and the tramline or aerial ropeway.
The access road which was around 5 kilometers will connect Sitios Sadog, Dupag Proper, Patok, Minanga to the national highway. When extended, it will become a shorter and faster route to Taloctoc, Tanudan.
For the tramline, it is 390 meters long and it can carry up to 5 tons. Peckley said that this will be the first aerial ropeway in the Cordillera Administrative Region in terms of load carrying capacity, adding that most tramlines can only carry 500 kilograms.
“Part of the DOST funded Boondok Research Project by SLU and Univ of Cordillera. Envisioned to become cheaper and mor environment friendly transport system for river crossings and deep valleys in CAR,” he said.
Project is with Certification Precondition
National Commission on Indigenous Peoples – Kalinga Provincial Director, Attorney Catherine Apaling clarified that the groundbreaking ceremony was only for the tramline and not the hydroelectric power plant itself.
She said that the tramline has already its certification precondition (CP) while the hydro’s CP is still on process and yet to be issued.
“This is a community-initiated project, nagapu iti initiative kadagiti barangay officials tayo of Bagumbayan and Dupag a daytoy iti kailangan iti community kunada isunga naipagna iti proseso na. Adda iti CP na daytoyen, isunga nakapag-groundbreaking tayo,” she explained.
She also mentioned that this community-initiated project is among the identified barangay development plans of the Minanga tribe listed for funding.
Meanwhile, during the event, initial educational assistance in the amount of P50,000 each for the Dallac, Nanong, and Minanga tribe was also awarded.
Marco Pagtud, DANAMI Press Relations Officer explained that it was agreed that upon signing of the Memorandum of Agreement, P50,000 educational assistance shall be turned over. He added that it would be up to each sub-tribe to create their guidelines on how they will manage said scholarship program.
Pagtud also added that when the hydro power plant will operate and the dam will have its income, educational assistance to all interested students will be provided. Additionally, P62,000 worth of scholarship shall also be given to two students for each sub-tribe who will be taking medicine and other identified courses.
Lastly, Pagtud said that Peckley will be sponsoring DANAMI students who will be studying at the University of the Philippines.
“Daytoy haan a promise ni Daniel nu di ket dawat iti umili,” Pagtud expressed.
‘Malakaan kami metten a maikonektar … ditoy centro’
Minanga Tribal Chieftain, Ringor Bucalen, who expressed his gratitude to the projects, mentioned that it has been their dream to have an access road that will connect their community to the highway.
“Mapadasen min tu metten a maadaan iti kalsada ken rangtay tu ta isu dayta la unay iti tarigagay mi tapnu malakaan kamin tu metten a maikonektar kadagiti kakabsat nga adda ditoy centro kasta met a malaakan kami a mangipan kadagiti produkto mi iti panagtagilakuan,” he said.
He added that there are and will be more benefits of the hydropower plant, “haan laeng a daytoy, adu pay laeng a benepisyo iti maited na daytoy a proyekto.”
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