Nat’l gov’t urged to open roads in Kalinga to other provinces

By Gina Dizon 

PASIL, Kalinga – The national government was urged by local folk and officials to open a road from here to Abra among other roads of the province to boost trade and access to northern Kalinga.

A sangguniangbayan  resolution   requested  Gen. Eduardo  Oban Jr, AFP chief of staff through  Secretary of  National Defense  Voltaire  Gazmin  to finance  the  development  of farm to market access road  under the  Armed Forces of the Philippines- Bayanihan community development  assistance program.

The recent resolution said the proposed route would  pass through  the  50  km  Balenciagao-Bagtayan-Balatoc-Colayo-Abra area.

Said places  grow organic vegetables including  heirloom rice, legumes,  gayunan oranges, squash and  sweet potatoes.

The road opening would also open access to  nearby Sadanga Mountain Province.

The opening of the road was earlier proposed in 2005  during the incumbency of former mayor Artemio Dalsen and vice mayor  Emilio  Kitongan.

The construction of  the proposed road would cut travel time by  three hours  leading to BolineyAbra from  Butilao  mines in Colayo.    

Another  resolution  also requested president  Benigno Noynoy  Aquino for  P30 million  from his  Presidential  social fund  for  the opening of the  70 kilometer Lubuagan – BatongBuhay- Abra road.  

The proposed road  is projected to  improve  the road along the mining town of  BatongBuhay.

Batong Buhay is  now bustling again with  mining operations   the  past seven years with the entrance of   Korean  mining firm Bum Kwang G and C Inc. and  Makilala Mining Company.

An  SB resolution passed April this year  requested  Secretary Rogelio Singson of  the Department of Public Works and Highways   to allocate  P20 million  for  the construction of  slope protection of the LubuaganBatongBuhay-Abra boundary  road along the national road  linking Abra and  Kalinga.