CARIGARA, Leyte — Three upland villages in Leyte will soon have new roads with the allocation of PHP39.4 million from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).
The OPAPP-funded Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Pamana) roads will cover remote villages affected by armed conflict in the past. It will be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Leyte’s second district engineering office.
DPWH district engineer Carlos Veloso said Friday the three projects recently bid out are farm-to-market roads leading to Lanawan village in Macarthur, Leyte (PHP19.7 million); Patag village in Burauen, Leyte (PHP9.85 million); and Villaconzoilo village in Jaro, Leyte (PHP9.85 million).
“The program is being implemented by the government to reduce vulnerabilities, improve governance, and empower fragile communities. This involves socio-economic interventions to isolated and conflict-affected areas not only to foster sustainable development but also to avoid recurrence of sources of conflict,” Veloso added.
Lanawan is an upland community in Macarthur town, with 67 families grouped into a farmers’ organization managing two hectares of land and developed it into an organic farm supplying high-value vegetables in some stores in Tacloban City.
Patag is a far-flung village in Burauen town known for its variety of farm products. The community is also endowed with crystal-clear water rivers.
Villa Conzoilo in Jaro town is a budding farm-tourism destination in Leyte that has attracted both foreign and local visitors since it opened in May last year. It is the farthest village in the town at the foot of Mount Amandewing, and was once a hotbed of insurgency in Leyte Island.
The association of farmers transformed the former war zone of rebellion into thriving gardens planted with high-value crops.
Pamana is the national government’s convergence program that extends development interventions to isolated, hard-to-reach and conflict-affected communities, ensuring that they are not left behind. (Lizbeth Ann Abella/PNA)
