IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay — Gov. Wilter Palma has doubled his efforts to foster economic growth as he expressed gratitude to President Rodrigo Duterte for funding the concreting of two farm-to-market road projects worth PhP260 million.
The road projects with a total length of 20.55 kilometers are located in the nearby towns of Payao and Titay.
Palma is looking forward for the completion of the two projects.
The projects are part of President Duterte’s thrust “build, build, build” and funded through the Conditional Matching Grant Project (CMGP) of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
“My main objective is to improve the way of life of my people, especially the farmers. It would be easier for them to deliver the agricultural products if they have a good access road,” Palma on Tuesday said.
Records from the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) showed that most of those who will benefit from the projects in the towns of Payao and Titay are poor farmers.
The concreting of the farm-to-market road in Payao town is the longest among the two projects with a length of 15.22 kilometers worth PHP186.5 million traversing seven barangays – Guintolan, Balungisan, San Isidro, Bulacan, Katipunan, Kulisap, and Poblacion.
Payao is a third class town which comprises of 29 barangays with a population of 31,686, mostly farmers and fisher folks.
A coastal town in the first district, the municipal waters of Payao is rich in marine resources like bangus, prawn, shrimps, seaweed, shellfish, abalone, sea cucumber and first class fish of different species.
The second farm-to-market road project has a length of 5.34 kilometers worth PHP73.5 million traverses the barangays of San Antonio, Dalisay, and Pulidan in Titay municipality.
Titay which comprises of 30 barangays is known as one of the province’ rice granary. The town is within the second district of this province.
Christopher Lazo, head of the provincial engineer’s office, said the contractors were speeding up the concreting of the two farm-to-market road projects owing to unpredictable weather condition.
“Unpredictable weather is making difficult to the contractors as they worry that heavy downpour will delay the on-going concreting works,” Lazo said.
But Lazo is confident they will be able to complete the projects as scheduled, which is on the second quarter of this year.
Palma said the completion of the farm-to-market road concreting would spur economic development in the towns of Payao and Titay as well as in the nearby areas.
Last year, Palma embarked on poverty alleviation program for sustainablel livelihood after the completion of the PhP87.6 million farm-to-market road concreting that traversed the barangays of Lutiman, Concepcion, and Kawayanin in Alicia municipality.
The project was implemented through the Konkreto at Ayos na Lansangan ang Daan Tungo sa Pangkalahatang kaunlaran (KALSADA) of the DILG. (PNA)
