FLORA, Apayao– More than 500 farmers in this town are beneficiaries of the newly constructed road and bridge recently turned over by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
DAR Secretary Rafael Mariano together with other DAR officials led the inauguration and turnover ceremony of the Allig-Sta. Maria Road to the people of Apayao led by Governor Elias Bulut Jr., Congresswoman Eleanor Begtang, Mayor Rodolfo Juan and Vice Mayor Jessica de San Jose on June 16.
Mariano said this is among the efforts of the DAR to improve the economic condition of farming communities in the province.
“Roads are vital components in the department’s drive to spur rural development in farm communities. This concreted road and bridge would greatly help farmers bring their farm products to the market faster and easier,” said Mariano.
The Allig-Sta. Maria Road is a 3.92 kilometer farm-to-market road that includes a 30 linear meter bridge with project cost pf P35.6 million, said Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Deogracias Almora.
The project was implemented under the DAR’S Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project (ARISP). It commenced construction in September 2014 and was completed in June 2016. The project was in collaboration with the Department of Public Works and Highways and funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
DAR Undersecretary for Foreign-Assisted Projects Sylvia Mallari said the road and bridge benefit agrarian reform beneficiaries of four barangays namely Allig, Sta. Maria, Balluyan and Malayugan.
The new infrastructure projects also indirectly benefit other surrounding barangays of Flora which are mostly rice producing.
“More than 500 farm-households are now benefitting from this road and bridge project. Transportation and transporting farm yield is now faster. More vehicles now ply the bridge and concreted road,” Mallari said.
Gov. Bulut expressed his gratitude to the implementing agencies for the project. This road would make transporting agri-products faster. We expect the trade and commerce here to greatly improve,” he said.
While in Apayao, Mariano and Mallari together with DAR Cordillera Regional Director Marjorie Ayson also distributed certificates of land ownership awards (CLOAs) covering 770 hectares to 1,163 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the province.
DAR officials had turned over CLOAs to 1,163 agrarian reform beneficiaries in the different provinces in the region recently. The distribution of CLOAs covers more than 700 hectares of agricultural lands located in Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province. **PIA CAR
