By Anthony A. Araos
Roads move a nation’s economy. This has reference to good, well-paved roads. Farm-to-market roads (FMRs), for instance, are most helpful in transporting produce to market.
When people travel on the roads across the 11 towns of Ifugao and then say, for goodness sake why have our officials forgotten these roads, can lack of confidence on politicians be far behind? At least, now there is some good news. the Namnama, Alfonso Lista-Dulao, Lagawe Road is being rolled out. In the drive to reduce travel time, the triumvirate of Ifugao– Rep. Solomon Chungalao, Governor Jerry Dalipog and Vice Governor Glenn Prudenciano– came up with this road project. It will be a two-lane, 65 kilometer all-weather road. It will provide safe and free access to these areas without passing through Santiago City in Isabela. It will allow easy access to tourism sites in Alfonso Lista, particularly at picturesque Barangay Sto. Domingo. It is certainly the best gift to the villagers of Namnama and Dulao.
The provision of an impactful and valuable road network between Alfonso Lista and Lagawe answers the consistent clamor of residents and travelers who want to appreciate tourism sites along the way.
Initially, the project will entail road opening and gravelling works- all to be undertaken by the provincial government. Consequently, concreting will be undertaken, hopefully to be funded from Congressman Chungalao’s development fund. Otherwise, the story will end there.
It is time to revisit the past. In recent times, in his earlier tenure as congressman, Chungalao succeeded in his road opening projects. Unfortunately, his successor opted not to continue these projects. A despicable turn of events.
It isn’t too late in the day to learn the lessons of the past. As the saying goes, a mistake only hurts you if you don’t learn from it. Clearly, we have to devise a new mindset so as not to waste public funds. From the norm of just road opening, Ifugao must move forward toward road finishing. As in finishing projects, of course! Have appropriate strategies been identified by the powers-that-be to ensure lobbying efforts for inclusion of major infrastructure projects as this one in the General Appropriations Act of 2021?
In this context, it is timely and appropriate to commend Congressman Chungalao for his steadfast resolve to upgrade the road network in this part of the country. Certainly such will contribute to the province’s economic development and the improvement of the lives of the people. If such will come to pass then it can be said that Congressman Chungalao’s love for Ifugao folks is not just as constituents, but as beloved family.**
