Benguet towns villagers continues reaping benefits

Tuba, Benguet (October 28, 2021)— Making sure that no one gets left behind, Benguet caretaker Eric Go Yap continues to troop to far flung areas in the province to look into the beneficial projects that trickle down to the poor.

Yap travelled to Barangay Ansagan in Tuba, Benguet this week to look into a road project and distribute food packs to three sitios affected by storm Maring.

Barangay Ansagan is one of Tuba’s remote areas which can be accessible by passing thru Sison in Pangasinan.

Yap assured by 2022, residents would no longer need to pass by Sison when going to the Tuba municipal hall, with the opening of the more than 12-kilometer road that will connect them to sitio Dongon, Barangay Camp 1 in Kennon Road.

Some P200 million pesos was earmarked for the project, according to Yap, which is included under the 2022 National Expenditure Program.

“Phase 1 pa lang po yan kasi kulang po and pondo. Kaya yung iba sasabihin si Cong, hindi magaling na politiko, kasi ang laki ng pondong nilagay nya, kunti lang botante. Pasensya na po, hindi talaga ako politico. Dun ako sa makakatulong sa kababayan ko kahit kunti ang botante, pagagawa ko po yung kalsada,” Yap said.

Yap said aside from the road project, Ansagan will also benefit in the proposed P100 million potable water project for Benguet.

“Yung water works po, marami pong sumulat sa akin. Nagtatampo. Bakit ang halaman nadidiligan, bakit yung mga farmers hindi makaligo. Bakit? Kulang ng patubig, walang potable water. Irrigagation water lang po ang meron sa ibang barangay at sitio. Kaya nga po yung P100 million na nailagay natin this year, next year another P100 million po para sa patubig para sa iba’t – ibang barangay and isa ang Ansagan sa mabibigyan,” added Yap.

Yap added he will fast track the release of funds for the several infrastructure projects that will benefit residents of Ansagan who were deprived of social services from the national government.

Last week, Yap also visited the remote village of Tacadang in Kibungan to inspect another road opening worth P400 milllion while handing out cash to beneficiaries of Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) thru the Department of Social Welfare and Development and four sewing machines to Tacadang Integrated School.

“From 18 hours na naglalakad sila, ngayon naka phase 1 na sila, three hours na lang sila naglalakad sabi ng mga teachers. Kahit kunti po and tao sa isang barangay, kelangan po nila ng tamag kalsada, tamang paaralan,” he added.

“Gusto kong ibagay sa mga kababayan ko yung pag-asa, lalo na ngayong pandemya, sa pag – asa na lang sila kumakapit. Kung tatangalan pa po natin yung mga taong walang kalsada, ano na lang po ang matitira sa kanilla,” Yap closed.

Artemio A. Dumlao