Execs slam diversion of P100M tourism funds by top Mt Prov pol, DPWH

By Dexter A. See 

SAGADA, Mountain Province – Members of the Sangguniang Bayan here slammed attempts by a high ranking politician in the province to divert a fund intended to boost the tourism industry of the town to a project that does not serve its purpose.

In a show of force, Sagada Vice Mayor Richard Yodong and members of the municipal council unanimously echoed their dismay over news that engineers from the regional Department of Public works and Highways office have already prepared the plans and estimates using the fund from the Department of Tourism for another infrastructure project that has no direct effect to tourism, especially to the town which is a premier tourist destination not only in the province but also in the country as well.

The Sagada officials said that the amount of 100 million, pesos which was included in this year’s General Appropriations  Act (GAA), was intended to improve the Sabangan-Sagada via Balili road as it passes through the unexplored Balangagan Cave, one of the tourist come-ons in the municipality but remains unvisited by tourists because of the bad road condition. It could likewise serve as an alternative route to and from Sagada in case the Sagada-Dantay road is closed to traffic.

Reliable sources however have it that the fund was allegedly secretly diverted to fund the rehabilitation of the Sabangan-Sagada via Madepdepas road, a route that will not pass through any tourist destination which is therefore contrary to the purpose of the tourism enhancement funds intended to fully develop infrastructures leading to prime tourist destinations in the countryside.

Yodong explained that upon assuming their office in 2010, members of the municipal council passed a resolution requesting the extension of the Dantay-Sumaguing national road (Staunton Road) to include the Suyo-Payag-eo-Balili stretch and renaming it Dantay-Sagada-Suyo-Balili circumferential road in order to ensure access to tourist spots in the different parts of the town.

This, they said, will enhance tourism in the area as it will connect the town’s two big caves. But even with the endorsement of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, their effort had not gained headway as it is gathering dust at the DPWH district office in Bontoc waiting for some required documentary attachments.

The timely visit of DOT Regional Director Purificacion Molintas to this tourist town gave members of the council another chance when she agreed to help in the rehabilitation of the Suyo-Payag-eo-Balili road through the Tourism Infrastructure Priority Project of the Department of Tourism, a program of the national government which among other things aims to increase tourist arrivals in the country. After a series of meetings and site validations to ensure that the project breezes through all the criteria, an amount of 100 million pesos was earmarked for the purpose in the 2013 GAA.

During a tourism summit at the Saint Mary’s School, Yodong announced the development to the delight of the crowd. After two weeks however, they were surprised upon hearing  news reports that personnel from the Regional DPWH office are in the progress of surveying another area for the tourism funded project. “I informed them that the area was not the one validated by the DOT regional office and it was at this juncture that I learned they were acting upon the orders of the politician,” Yodong said.

“We made and forwarded a resolution to concerned offices and agencies to honor the real intent of the project. Our intent is to rehabilitate the Suyo-Payag-eo-Balili road to equally serve tourists who want to visit Balangagan Cave and the commuters who want a shorter route to and from Sagada. It was because of these reasons that the Department of Tourism through regional director PurificacionMolintas approved and funded our initiative. We will not let anyone who, because of some other motives, divert the fund most especially to another item that does not pass the criteria set by DOT. It is not only against our culture. It is also against the vision of our president of a Matuwid na Daan,” they said.