BARLIG – The 4th Kataguan Caravan “Drive for Life” has been successfully staged with at least forty-one vehicles and more than one hundred participants from the different offices, groups, and organizations in the province.
Since its inception in 2015, the activity has been an added highlight to the Lang-ay Festival of Mountain Province.
The annual caravan is an off shoot of the partnership of the Kataguan Dialysis Patients Organization together with the Maximo B Dalog Foundation (MBDF) as a way of supporting and helping the dialysis patients in the province.
The Drive for Life started at the Eyeb Ground hitting the trail and viewing the majestic mountain ranges with abundant flora and fauna of Eastern Mountain Province specifically in the municipality of Barlig and along the Bontoc – Talubin road. It is on the Barlig side where tourists can view some of the remaining virgin forests of the Cordillera.
The caravan ended at Eagle site (Mao wey) in Kadaclan. What made the caravan even more exciting was the warm welcome of the community people with full support of their Local Government Unit led by Honorable Mayor Genesis Changilan. The cold weather of the municipality added up to the excitement of the participants.
As of April 10, 2018 the ticket payment collection reached Php259,000.00 and counting since there are a lot yet to be collected. Said amount is just the collection from tickets sold by the Office of the Congressman excluding those that were personally sold by the members of the Kataguan Dialysis Patients Organization. Proceeds of the activity will be turned over to the Kataguan Organization to be divided among its patient members for their dialysis expenses.
A short program culminated the caravan. Barlig Mayor Genesis Changilan welcomed the participants and gave thanks for visiting the municipality. The mayor also acknowledged the MBDF for initiating the caravan saying that there are beneficiaries of the Drive for Life in the municipality. The municipality of Barlig was chosen as the area for the caravan in support of HB No. 283, an act declaring the Municipality of Barlig as a Tourist Development Area as an alternate tourist hub of the province.
The MBDF was represented by Atty. Maximo Dalog Jr. and Atty. Cyphrine Maxcel Dalog. The two lawyers extended their profound gratitude to the participants, donors, and everyone for their support and generous donations during the annual Drive for Life, with the hope of extending the lives of more than one hundred dialysis patients within and outside the province.
In response to the overwhelming support for the caravan, Kataguan President Rosario Sagmayao expressed their gratefulness and appreciation for the success of the activity. The MBDF and the Kataguan Organization wishes to extend its profound gratitude for your participation and generous donations to the following: Fr. Michael Tokoyen for the pray over, MPGCHS for allowing us to use the Eyeb open gym, Eastern Bontoc National Agricultural and Vocational High School (EBNAVHS) and Barlig LGU for the warm accommodation, Barlig Municipal Police Station led by OIC Robert Sagandoy, Bontoc Municipal Police Station, Mountain Province Mobile Force Company, Mountain Province First District Engineering District (MPFDEO), Mountain Province Second District Engineering Office (MPSDEO) led by Engr. Rustom Martinez, Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Mountain Province State Polytechnic College (MPSPC), Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital (LHMRH), Bontoc General Hospital led by Dr. Raquel Tannao Kanongkong, Provincial Health Office led by Dr. Nenita Lizardo, Philippine Red Cross- Mountain Province Chapter led by Mr. Robert Pangod, Trail Riders Group (TRG), Bontoc-Abatan-Bauko Van Operator Drivers Association, Former Barlig Mayor Clark Ngaya, Philippine Army based at Barlig, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) led by Atty. Edward Chumawar, Atty. Amador Batay-an, Mayor Mateo Chiyawan, Former Mayor Edward Latawan, Yolanda Awing, Sylvia Afidchao, Theodore Marrero, Rosalinda Belagan, Mayor Avelino Amangyen, Mayor Johnson Bantog II, Governor Bonifacio Lacwasan, Engr. Edward Likigan, Mayor Genesis Changilan, Sangguniang Bayan Members of Bontoc, Dencio Bula-ay, JBA Construction, Mayor James Pooten, Leona and Lambert Sagalla, Engr. Leo Lamangen, Ramon Casiwa, Atty. William Managtag, Engineer Jerry Chimicag, Engr. Rex Oya-oy, Sangguniang Bayan Members of Barlig led by Vice Mayor David Fomokod, Board Member Carino Tamang, Oliver Culallad, Francis Mendoza, Jerome Tudlong, Jeofrey Awing, Joleen Awing, Erin Sumcad, Ezra Samson Gomez, Richard Soliven, Evelio Timario, AIP Construction, MGS Construction, TGC Construction, Jaben Construction, APO Construction, ETL Construction, Upland Construction, CLAR/DAR, 4RM, Upper Bauko-SubCon of Tipunan/Magatiley FC, masters of ceremony Beau Amangay Killip Macliing and Jess Valdez, other personalities, groups, organizations, and everyone whom we have failed to mention. ** Wabilyn Leanne Lomong-oy
