LAGAWE, IFUGAO – – What’s a covered court without bleachers?
It is a legitimate question. No need for a genius to answer the query.
Punong Barangay Greg Ramos has served notice to the government that the Sangguniang Barangay of San Quintin would pursue the plan of acquiring funds for the construction of the bleachers for its covered court.
“I really see the need for bleachers in this facility since our residents gather here during important occasions,” Punong Barangay Ramos said.
“Every time, I visited other barangays in Ifugao, I see the difference between them and ours. I’m moved to tears because of the absence of these bleachers in our barangay,” he added.
Now, the young and articulate village chieftain of this farming barangay in Alfonso Lista town is also aiming to transform the said facility into an ideal hub for sports promotion and other activities for the youth sector.
The refurbished court shall serve as a sharing and learning venue for young and aged villagers.
He also underscored the role of the Sangguniang Kabataan, nongovernment organizations and people’s organizations.
Raising the level of utilization of a covered court for sporting and cultural events is going to be good for a barangay. For short, the higher the level, the better for all stakeholders.
The barangay government of this distant village, influenced by the philosophy of good governance advocacy of Vice Governor Glenn Prudenciano and the growing political power of the local government unit in the grassroots level, gave emphasis on the construction of covered courts some years back. Prudenciano served as mayor of Alfonso Lista for several years.
Barangay council’s funds are scarce, most especially at this time following huge expenditures apportioned to fight and contain the COVID-19 disease.
If the project is pursued, available funds of the barangay council are insufficient. “Cost of the project is about Php 1 million,” Ramos told the ZigZag Weekly in an exclusive interview.
It is common knowledge that funds of the Alfonso Lista municipal government as well as the Ifugao provincial government are also limited.
Sourcing out funds from the national government is, therefore, essential for this project.
Undoubtedly, a new mindset is required for Punong Barangay Ramos and the other officials of the barangay council.
People cannot seriously expect municipal officials to prioritize pint-sized, remote barangays in a “non-election” year.
The bleachers section is quite expensive because, according to engineers, the structure should be guaranteed to stand the test of time
Undeterred somehow by prevailing moods and circumstances, Punong Barangay Ramos continues to find ways for the realization of the project.
At the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC), Punong Barangay Ramos has been consistently providing insights and recommendations in pursuit of noteworthy endeavors.
To this day, Punong Barangay Ramos’ all-day priority is the well-being of his constituents.
Ramos also pointed out that San Quintin Barangay Council is committed to constantly push forward the socioeconomic agenda of the Duterte administration and stands ready to take part in the programs of the national government.
The plan of the barangay council stemmed from the fact that youngsters, women and elderly found it uncomfortable using the court because of the seating problem. There’s desperation.
Many other segments of society are likely to use the facility and participate freely in activities related to cultural life and the arts.
In truth, distant barangays are deprived of the benefits of inclusive participation in community development. Projects are unsustainable in the long term because proper support system and empowered people for operations are inadequate. Filipinos are unable to seize the opportunity to create more inclusive economic institutions that allow greater participation of the poor.
Punong Barangay Ramos remains positive that the dream of having these bleachers shall be realized.
There is a pressing need to encourage barangay council officials to think outside of the box and create ways to further improve the living standards of the people. Discovering some winning formulas is the answer to the problem.
Possible partners of the barangay council are members of Congress as well as foreign organizations. In this regard, the best solution is to seek assistance from the House of Representatives, Senate or international agencies.
Nonetheless, there is still a long way to go for San Quintin Barangay Council. Yet, support for the project among the officials is considered extremely strong.
Contrary to popular belief, bleachers are still essential. The defining components of this project are twofold, to cover sports development and tourism. Better infrastructure will lay the foundation for attracting investors in the barangay
There is merit in infusing funds for the development-oriented projects in far-flung and underserved barangays such as San Quintin. There is a need to bring the government much, much closer to the impoverished people. There is a reason to look into attractive long-term returns of focusing on countryside development.** By Anthony A. Araos
