CARMEN, Davao del Norte, Sept. 28 (PIA): The isolated coastal barangay of Barangay Taba in Carmen, Davao del Norte is expected to come alive economically and culturally as the provincial government has poured in various projects and services in the area.
Provincial Muslim Officer Emilio Quirod feels the upbeat mode of his fellow residents in Barangay Taba which he describes as laid-back with roads of potholes leading to dead-end areas that hinder free flow of goods to markets.
“Walay lami ang Taba sauna. Karon nalipay kaayo kami sa mga proyekto nga gihatag sa amoa. (Taba was no good before. We are now truly happy of the projects given to us),” he said in an interview at the newly inaugurated multi-purpose cultural center.
Provincial Gov. Rodolfo P. del Rosario yesterday led the formal opening of the P2.5 million worth multi-purpose cultural center built at the heart of a Muslim community in Barangay Taba with about 2,500 residents.
Made up of concrete with tiled floors, the cultural center will serve as a meeting place, event venue, madrasah school and wedding place of Muslim residents of Barangay Taba which has about 35 percent Muslim populace.
Hadji Amina Conde could still recall that there used to be just a makeshift of tarpaulin covering during community gatherings and events.
“Karon maski mag-ulan ug mag-init, maayo na. (Now, we would be alright even under the sun or the rain.),” she said.
On the other hand, Del Rosario also formally opened a one kilometer road worth P2 million funded through the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) with counterpart funds from the provincial government, the municipal government of Carmen and from the Department Agriculture.
Aside from providing access to Barangay Taba through the national higway, the farm-to-market road pushes the flow of agricultural products and cuts short the travel time of bringing them to the market.
Barangay Taba resident Estela Villaraiz, 28 years of age, recalled that there used to be just a trail where the new road is constructed, making it hard for farmers to transport their harvests to the barangay main road.
Because she would no longer be paying for hauling services to transport her coconut and nipa harvests from her farm to the main road, Villaraiz expects to save as much as P2,000.
Located at the coastal area of Carmen Municipality, Barangay Taba is also producing fish other than banana, coconuts and nipa.
Meanwhile, the provincial government of Davao del Norte simultaneously hauled yesterday a caravan of services with the inauguration of projects given to Barangay Taba.
Del Rosario led the Convergence for Peace and Development which pooled together various services from the provincial government of Davao del Norte, the 1003rd Infantry Brigade, and from the Provincial Police Office.
Barangay Taba was the third site of Convergence for Peace and Development conducted in Carmen, Davao del Norte. The Convergence was also held, early this year, in Carmen barangays of Mabuhay and Tibulao. (Jeanevive Duron-Abangan/PIA-11)
No comments:
Post a Comment