P658 M set for Benguet road rehab to boost veggie industry

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- At least P658 million was incorporated in this year’s P1.645 trillion national budget to maintain and rehabilitate national roads in this vegetable-producing province and improve accessibility to remote areas and boost the lucrative vegetable industry.

Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan, chairman of the House committee on public works, said there was a need to make sure roads leading to production areas in the province must be always open throughout the year to ensure there will be no artificial shortage of highland vegetables in Metro Manila and lowland markets so enterprising individuals will not take advantage of the situation by resorting to smuggling of imported cheap vegetables from China.

The House committee on public works has jurisdiction on all matters related to planning, construction, maintenance, improvement and repair of public infrastructure to include buildings, highways, bridges, roads, parks, shrines and other public edifices.

Cosalan sid another P50 million annually will be included in the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways to augment the meager maintenance fund being provided for national roads.

He disclosed national roads in the province that are guaranteed sufficient maintenance and rehabilitation fund include the Halsema highway, Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya road, Gorel-Kabayan-Abatan road, Acop-Kapagan,Kibungan-Bakun-Buguias road, Shilan-Beckel road, Asin road, Baguio-Dalupirip road and Tinogdan-Dalupirip road.

The lawmaker added that by his representation with the Japan International Cooperating Agency (JICA), it agreed to provide substantial assistance to rehabilitate damaged road sections by natural calamities that struck Northern Luzon over the past two years.

According to Cosalan, infrastructure development is one of the province’s primordial concerns which must be attended by concerned national government agencies in order to improve the linkages of rural and urban centers primarily to boost the market of locally grown crops, especially with the rapidly growing market.

He said once road networks leading to the countryside will be improved, farmers will experience having much bigger income since the transportation cost of the vegetables will be much cheaper due to lesser maintenance cost of vehicles.

Cosalan said prices of farm inputs being brought to the farmlands will also become much cheaper which will translate to lesser expenditures for farmers and provide bigger income for their respective families.

Vegetable farming is the main source of livelihood of a majority of the province’s population.

Cosalan said it is for this reason that assistance must be extended to them, especially in terms of direct and indirect support so they will be hurdle difficulties in producing their crops. – Dexter A. See