P212 million peace, dev’t projects set in Cordillera

BAGUIO CITY — The Department of Interior and Local Government-Cordillera Regional Office, in partnership with several local government units, will be implementing P211.8 million worth of peace and development projects in the region this year.

 The projects, under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan or “Pamana” – a priority program of the administration of President Aquino, aim to strengthen peace and development efforts in conflict-affected areas all over the country.

DILG-CAR division chief Rene Valera said  Pamana projects were first implemented in the Cordillera by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process in 2011 under a memorandum of agreement between the Philippine Government and the Cordillera Bodong Administration-Cordillera People’s Liberation Army, now called the Cordillera Forum for Peace and Development.

The Pamana is anchored on three pillars: interventions through policy reform and development, interventions to promote the convergent delivery of services and goods, and interventions to address regional and sub-regional development.

In 2012, Valera reported that OPAPP and DILG identified 23 projects in Sadanga, Mountain Province and the municipalities of Tinglayan, Pinukpuk, Tanudan, Pasil and the City of Tabuk in Kalinga, with a total cost of P50 million for constructing bridges, foot bridge, improvement of communal irrigation system, farm-to-market roads, and agro-forest projects.

For this year, the P211.8 million worth of Pamana-DILG projects will be implemented in the municipalities of Lacub and Tineg in Abra; Flora Apayao; Mankayan Benguet; Asipulo and Tinoc in Ifugao; Pinukpuk in Kalinga and the municipalities of Besao, Bontoc, Natonin, Sadanga, and Paracelis in Mt. Province.

Valera disclosed that they have already released P9.2 million for a Pamana road opening project in Lacub, Abra on February 8. They are also set to release P20 million for a road concreting project in Pinukpuk, Kalinga and P5.6 million for a road improvement project in Paracelis, Mt. Province.