Tuguegarao City—To hasten development and fight insurgency through infrastructure projects in remote areas, the Cagayan provincial government on Monday turned over 29 units of heavy equipment worth P108 million to 29 local government units (LGUs).
Consisting of 28 graders worth P3.868 million each and one bulldozer worth P4.968 million, the equipment were formally accepted by the province’s 29 mayors during the awarding rites held at the Capitol Complex in Alimannao village here.
The local leaders signed a memorandum of agreement in accepting the grant under the “No Barangay Left Behind” of Governor Manuel Mamba and the mayors.
Mamba said under the agreement, the heavy equipment are entrusted in the town and city mayors, to be “under their care and leadership, but these will be used for the repair of farm-to-market roads in the villages.”
“We strongly believe that the continuous rehabilitation and construction of road networks through these graders and a bulldozer, these will hasten the service of the provincial government to the public and lessen the problem of insurgency,” said Mamba, who is also the Regional Peace and Order Council chairperson.
“We were able to save P55 million out of the P5 million each allotted budget for each heavy equipment. Hence, we can use the saved fund to buy other vehicles like police cars,” he added.
Dubbed as “Road Graders for Peace, Progress and development,” aims to boost the province’ economic progress.
“Where the road ends the insurgents begin. Roads will create commerce and improve communication and aid flows, thus opening up opportunities in the locality,” the governor said in a statement issued by the Cagayan Provincial Information Office.
Mamba is also eyeing the rehabilitation and construction of municipal and barangay roads in the province. This is the reason why he awarded a new grader to each town and city under his “No Barangay/Town Left Behind program.
“This program will ensure that every corner of Cagayan gets a fair share of support from the Provincial Government to propel its own advancement and growth,” he said. With PNA
