RDC-Cordillera okays Kalinga dev’t projects

By Larry T. Lopez 

TABUK CITY, Kalinga --The Cordillera Regional Development Council has endorsed major infrastructure development projects in the province during its first quarter meeting here last week.

The RDC passed a resolution seeking fund sources from concerned agencies for Kalinga’s P5 billion mega-dike project along the Chico River basin in Tabuk City, P121 million Chico River Re-channeling Project, P367 million concreting of Tabuk City farm-marker-roads (FMR), P195-M RCDG bridges and P81-M Tanudan FMR improvement.

National Economic Development Authority Cordillera Director and RDC Vice-Chair  Milagros Remand  recommended preparation of feasibility study as support to Kalinga’s proposed projects because of high cost estimates.

Gov. Jocel C. Baac who presented the province’s development issues and proposals, told the RDC how perennial flooding of the swollen Chico River had affected at least 1,000 hectares of riceland resulting in estimated production losses of 7,248,013 metric tons in rice valued at P602, 912,690.

The problem if left unattended would severely hurt the province’s rice industry that contributes 1.33% to the country’s annual rice requirement and is the top-source of the region’s rice.

Meanwhile, Tinglayan Mayor Johnny Maymaya sought RDC’s   action on the construction of temporary narrow one-lane bridges along the Tinglayan-Bontoc national road, which he said, hampers buses from traversing the route.

Abra Governor and RDC Chair Eustaquio Bersamin moved for the creation of a technical body to inspect and validate the report for the council’s appropriate action assuring positive move from the RDC to address the problem. 

In a related development, Baac sought the council’s action urging the immediate issuance by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples of the Certificate of Pre-Condition required on the Bulanao-Amlao road improvement project funded under the Philippine Rural Development Project. 

Said document is required by the funding institution so that the project would start this year, Baac said.