With a funding of P24,948,485.76 from the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) through the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the road project will connect barangays Bomba and Poloyagan of this city to barangays Pantad and Rebocon of Dumalinao, Zamboanga del Sur.
DILG-9 Regional Director Paisal O. Abutazil led the laying of time capsule during the groundbreaking ceremony. He was assisted by Mayor Romeo Pulmones, Vice Mayor Divina Grace Yu, city councilors Julo Dacal and Bienvenido Culve, and the barangay chairmen of Bomba and Poloyagan.
In his message, Director Abutazil said the PAMANA is the national government’s peace and development framework aimed to respond and strengthen peace building, reconstruction and development of conflict affected areas.
“This development projects are intended to reduce poverty through community infrastructure and delivery of social services in areas identified by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) as conflict affected,” Abutazil added.
Government is investing millions of pesos to address poverty issues with the grassroots as the primary beneficiaries of the various projects and initiatives, he said.
Pagadian City is one of the beneficiaries of this program.
For fiscal year 2013 alone, a total amount of P133 million was allocated to the city for the implementation of PAMANA projects, of which P25 million was allotted for the construction and improvement PAMANA projects, Director Abutazil disclosed.
“DILG as your partner for development is very optimistic that this road construction and improvement project will greatly benefit your people in the barangays covered by the project,” he assured.
“While it is the DILG that is given the primary responsibility to oversee and monitor the status and progress of the various stages of the project implementation, the same responsibility is also given to the city of Pagadian as beneficiary, as both the DILG and the local government unit play a vital role and are accountable in ensuring that the projects are implemented as they should be,” Abutazil emphasized.
Meanwhile, Mayor Romeo Pulmones was so thankful to the DILG family led by Dir Abutazil and the people behind the realization of the project, saying “this is the first big project implemented during my administration.” (PIA9)
