P110-M road works to Ifugao ‘NPA village’ on

By Liza Agoot 

ASIPULO, Ifugao – The provincial government of Ifugao and the 5th Infantry Division (5ID) of the Philippine Army (PA) broke ground here recently to jointly construct a road in a remote village here, considered  under influence of the New People’s Army.
    Maj. Noriel Tayaben, division public affairs officer, in a press release said the groundbreaking August 9 and signing of memorandum of partnership agreement (MOPA) will commence construction of 4.4-km farm-to-market road at Barangay Namal.
    Tayaben said Barangay Namal is a far-flung mountainous village which formerly was a stronghold of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), particularly under the Kilusang Larangan Gerilya (KLG) Ifugao.
    The said barangay was cleared by the 54th Infantry Battalion (54IB) under the 5ID from the influence of the NPA which led to the dismantling of the KLG Ifugao and was turned over to the Provincial and Municipal Task Forces to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF/MTF ELCAC) for the development of the area.
    Grace Tayaban, Namal barangay captain, said their place is an agricultural community, and vegetable farming is the primary source of income of the people.
    She said the project will connect Sitio Nangkatengey and Numpaling in Namal to the road system.
    "This project of the government will surely improve the lives (of) people and help in the development of my barangay," Tayaban said.
    She also thanked the military for ousting the NPA and clearing their village of the influence of the communist terrorists.
    In the MOPA, the 5ID will help the provincial government of Ifugao in the construction of the farm-to-market road by providing manpower and equipment that will augment the manpower and equipment of the provincial government.
    The 513th Engineering Construction Battalion will be the unit of the Philippine Army that will help in the road construction.
    Governor Jerry Dalipog urged his townmates to support the programs of the PTF/MTF ELCAC in order to sustain the peace and usher in development for the province.
    He said the aim of the provincial government is to fast-track the construction of the FMR to facilitate the development of the place and improve the lives of the people.
    Dalipog also thanked the 5ID for responding to his request to help in the construction of the road.
    The MOPA was signed by 5ID commander Brig. Gen. Laurence Mina, Governor Dalipog, and Asipulo Mayor Armando Domilod.
    Mina said that development in the area will insulate the people from the influence of communist rebels -- PNA