BOBON, Northern Samar – Many did not believe these roads were going to be realized. This was the common story shared by the residents as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recently turned over three farm-to-market roads to the municipality of Bobon during its 154th founding anniversary.
DAR Regional Director Sheila Enciso formally turned over to the local government unit (LGU) and to the recipient barangays the 1.5-kilometer all-weather Balukawe-Balat Balud road, the 1.7-kilometer concreted Salvacion-Balukawe road and the 1.1 concreted Trojillo-Calantiao road.
The three road projects, worth ₱28.2-million, were implemented under the second phase of the Agrarian Reform Communities Project (ARCP-II) through a loan by the national government from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Barangay Balat Balud Chairman Jimmy Baldestoy disclosed that they used to pass Barangay Quezon to reach their village as there was no access road that goes straight to their place from the national highway.
Baldestoy narrated that from the town proper, the residents ride a motorcycle to go to Barangay Quezon. They will ride a boat to cross a river and then walk several meters more to reach the village, he added.
With the presence of the farm-to-market roads, the more than three-kilometer-trip is cut short by one kilometer making it more convenient and less expensive for the residents to travel around. Baldestoy stressed that the ₱60 total fare was reduced to ₱20.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO) Nida Abelido reminisced how residents in these barangays identified access roads as one of their priority needs during a consultation dialogue in the past.
Mayor Rene Celespara thanked DAR for helping them build the roads, a long-cherished dream especially for the residents of Barangay Balat Balud.
Enciso reminded the recipients to maintain the said roads in good condition for the next 10 years, otherwise, they will be shouldering the 60-percent share of the national government thereby converting the grant into a loan.
DAR also distributed 26 certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) covering 45.7 hectares of agricultural lands situated in the barangays of Magsaysay, J.P. Laurel, Trojillo and Calantiao to 25 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).
No one believed this road in Bobon, Northern Samar will be realized until DAR constructed three farm-to-market roads in different areas implemented under ARCP-II.
Bobon, Northern Samar Mayor Rene Celespara (left) and DAR Regional Director Sheila Enciso (third from right) cut the ceremonial ribbon in Barangay Balat Balud, officially opening the Balukawe-Balat Balud, Salvacion-Balukawe and the Trojillo-Calantiao road to the public.
DAR Regional Director Sheila Enciso hands over the certificate of landownership award (CLOA) to Barangay Calantiao Chairperson Nilda Sapatos as among the 25 agrarian reform beneficiaries of the land transfer program.
