By providing accessibility to government programs and services with passable roads and bridges, the fifty years of the CPP-NPA insurgency in Eastern Samar particularly in the City of Borongan could possibly come to an end.
This was the firm standpoint of City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan C. Agda in a recent virtual conference with the other members of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) which is chaired by Governor Ben P. Evardone.
In his presentation, Mayor Agda stressed that one reason which continuously divides between and amongst people in far communities, is the inaccessibility to basic government services.
For one, he cited Barangay Pinanag-an, this city, with more than a hundred households. This remotest barangay is about three-hour motorboat ride from the wharf in Borongan and before reaching the place, about five more barangays are passed through.
To recall, sometime in 2019 a bloody encounter between the government troops and the CPP/NPAs transpired in this remote barangay, which ended up in the loss of lives of several soldiers with their comrades severely wounded as well.
This was followed with another ambush of a civilian vehicle in a nearby poblacion barangay which killed a number of civilians and a policeman and some others left wounded.
Government has been in constant battle with the NPA insurgents and hundreds of peace talks had been made while innocent and helpless civilians are sometimes involved. Apparently, some issues have yet to be addressed, particularly the problem on the inaccessibility to government services.
“People from remote barangays need us, people in the government. They need interventions, but all our planned interventions will be limited to none if we can hardly reach them, and if their needs remain unabated, resentment, division could prevail,” he added.
For Borongan City Government, Mayor Agda presented one poverty alleviation program, the “Dukwag Agrikultura” (DA) which was approved recently by the City Council, with program components aimed to improve the economic standing of marginalized farmers.
However, he said, many of the identified agricultural farms are located in insurgency-laden communities, which in one way or another hamper production.
“With the construction of needed roads and bridges, perhaps, some peace and order issues can be addressed eventually,” he stressed.
To fulfill an earlier promise to the rural folks in the upstream barangays, Mayor Agda has lined up, a number of road opening projects, in his strong desire to improve the living condition of most of them, by providing better access to basic skills trainings and livelihood, medical and other social services, including education.
For 2021, now awaiting budget appropriations are the road opening of Phase 2 of Canyupay-Hebacong-Benowang-Baras-Pinanag-an; Surok-San Matero Road (Phase2); Road Construction/Concreting of Cabalagnan-Canyupay (Phase 2); Road Opening/Concreting at Surok-San Mateo (Phase 4); Road Opening/Widening of Amantacop road; Road Opening at Sta. Fe; Road Opening of Balacdas-San Pablo; Road Opening at Sabang South-Sitio Lipgutan, and Road Opening at San Gabriel to Kaputian Falls, a Tourist Area.
Meanwhile, he expressed thanks to former City Mayor and now Congresswoman, Ma. Fe R. Abunda who played a big role in the concreting of the Camada-Cabalagdan road when she was still Mayor, with then Congressman and now Governor Ben P. Evardone.
He further revealed, that he is very much appreciative to the early commitment made by the two leaders who promised to give support to the complete construction of the road leading to Pinanag-an.
He stressed his optimism that this farthest, on-going Phase 1 construction of the Pinanag-an road, with Phase 2, will be realized with the full support of generous officials and organizations. He added that, he was also assured earlier by Ms. Emy Bonifacio of the Office of Presidential Adviser on Peace Process(OPAPP) Visayas, that the said project will be included in the proposed roads for PAMANA as an ELCAC priority.
“In fact, I have long been submitting a proposal many years back, for the same road project, but funds always came short for more intense projects nationwide,” Ms. Bonifacio said in a brief phone call. “Hopefully, this time around, that the upstream Barangay Pinanag-an, had been included under ELCAC priorities, this proposal might just push through,” Ms. Emy concluded.
On the whole, Mayor Agda is expectant, that when these road networks are completed, the 51-years of armed-struggle of the CPP/NPA movement in the city or better yet in the province, will at least dwindle if not, would be over, as they can expect better lives and better days which are likely to happen. #