Bauko eyes income- generating projects

BAUKO, Mountain Province – Mayor Abraham B. Akilit said the local government’s executive-legislative agenda is focusing on income-generating projects and maximizing the use of the town’s rich resources to spur economic growth and provide people with sustainable sources of livelihood.

            

Akilit said one of the town’s resources that could be taken advantage of by entrepreneurs is the clean and potable water coming from the watershed.

            

Aside from enhancing ecotourism destinations in  barangays, the local chief executive disclosed studies are now underway for the commercial production of bottled water that will be supplied to neighboring towns of Mountain Province and Benguet to generate income.

            

Akilit said the trend among local governments nowadays is self-sustenance, thus, the need to venture on income-generating projects that could help uplift the status of the local government and improve the living condition of the populace.

            

According to him, water is a problem in the locality despite the presence of abundant sources of water in the forested communities, thus, there is need to provide those residents along the major roads with the necessary supply of potable water through the said business while the local government is working out a long-term solution to the problem, particularly the establishment of the necessary water district.

            

Akilit said another venture that the municipal government is seriously considering is the prospect of partnering with investors for the establishments of minihydro power plants along the Chico and Agno rivers which will greatly help in generating increased income for the barangay and municipal governments, provide employment to qualified residents and guarantee increased sources of livelihood for the people.

            

Several prospective investors have already signified their intention to closely work with the local government for the conduct of the mandatory feasibility study to determine the viability of putting up the minihydro power plant in either the Chico or Agno rivers or both so that the same will be undertaken through the provisions of the build, operate and transfer scheme.

            

Bauko hosts the Mount Data National Park and is considered the headwaters of the Chico, Agno, Magat and Abra rivers that provide abundant water supply for domestic, irrigation, industrial, power generation and agricultural purposes, especially for lowland communities.

            

Akilit said the only way by which local governments could improve the living condition of their constituents is to guarantee that they have sustainable sources of income that they could appropriate for the benefit of their constituents, especially the enhancement of health care services and the provision of stable sources of employment and livelihood for them to hurdle the difficulties of earning a living for their families. – Dexter See