A P48 million farm-to-market road in Manapla and a P39 million bridge in Toboso, Negros Occidental, were inaugurated Thursday, October 21.
The farm-to-market road was turned over by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Department of Agriculture (DA) VI Regional Executive Director Remelyn Recoter to Manapla Mayor Manuel Escalante III.
The DA- Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) road project that starts from Brgy. 1A to Punta Salong registers 10,565 households as direct beneficiaries, a press release from the Capitol said Friday, October 22.
Lacson said that the difficulty of transporting agricultural goods has been endured by farmers for a long time and has been aggravated by the pandemic and vulnerability to frequent weather changes, that is why rural infrastructure is a major development priority of the provincial government.
“To the people of Manapla, particularly farmers and fisherfolks, please know that your provincial government together with your local government have your best interest at heart and we are going to do what we can to assist and empower you,” he said.
The project funding counterparts came from the World Bank, national government, and Negros Occidental provincial government.
Lacson also led the inauguration and ceremonial turnover of the P39 million Himoga-an Bridge in Brgy. Bug-ang, Toboso, attended by town officials led by Mayor Richard Jaojoco.
The 75-linear meter bridge is a subproject of the DA-PRDP Project, and was also constructed with an 80-10-10 counterparting scheme from the World Bank, national government, and the Negros Occidental provincial government.
Lacson said that the project will hasten the mobilization and transportation of the local farm produce to market centers.
“Rural infrastructure raises agricultural productivity and its benefits are not only limited to agricultural development, it also provides better access to education and health care,” he said.
Present at the two activities were PRDP PSO Visayas Deputy Project Director, Engineer Jose Albert Barrogo, Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit head, Dr. Narissa Lemoncito, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist OIC Dr. Dina Genzola and Provincial Engineer Ernie Mapa.*