Bagobo-Tagabawa IP community receives infra projects

STA. CRUZ, Davao del Sur, June 29 (PIA) – The Bagobo-Tagabawa community is part of the localities in the hinterlands of Sta. Cruz town and Davao City enjoying the benefits of basic infrastructure projects provided by Hedcor, Inc.

More than P13-million worth of infrastructure projects comprising of a training center, water systems, tribal halls and access roads has been turned over to the host communities of Hedcor’s hydropower plants during the first half of this year.

Boy Jabonillo, Hedcor vice president for business development, said the deserving tribal beneficiaries are residing in Barangay Sibulan in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur and in Brgy. Sibulan City Side, Davao City. 

Jabonillo said “the dreams of the indigenous people in Hedcor host communities are finally coming true after years of aspiring, planning and working for must-have basic structures.”

The training center was provided to Sitio Mamaon of Brgy. Sibulan City Side.

The tribal halls were named as Pogpog Tribal Hall for Sitio Tudaya, Brgy. Sibulan; Sibulan Tribal Hall for Brgy. Sibulan; Sibulan City Side Tribal Hall; and Jose Rizal Tribal Hall for Brgy. Jose Rizal, all of Sta. Cruz, and Kapatagan Tribal Hall for Brgy. Kapatagan, Digos City.

Jabonillo said the water systems were installed at Sitio Tudaya in Brgy. Sibulan; Brgy. Jose Rizal; Sitio Mareras and Sitio Sinorongan in Brgy. Sibulan City Side.

He said the people at SitioTudaya have gained access to farm-to-market road through a road opening from Lower Pogpog to Centro Pogpog, which provides easy transport of farm goods.

The Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe expressed thanks to Hedcor for providing their communities 11 infrastructures, saying that the projects were dreams come true to them, Jabonillo stated.

Hedcor quoted Tribal Council member Paterno Aninipot of Sitio Pogpog as saying “Mao kini ang ginapangandoy sa katawhan sa una pa. Og dili tungod sa Hedcor nga naay panalangin gikan sa Ginoo, wala unta kini. Nagpasalamat ko sa grupo sa Hedcor. Kung wala pa ang Hedcor, wala unta kini (This is what the community has long been aspiring for and had it not for Hedcor, with the grace from God, these wouldn’t be possible. This is why we thank them).”

“Dako ko og pasalamat sa suporta sa project. Hingpit ug kinasing-kasing namong gidawat ang proyekto. Ginapasalamatan pud nako ang komunidad ug labi na ang kompanya, kay kon wala ang kompanya, wala tay mahimo… walay proyekto nga moabot (We welcomed the project whole-heartedly, and I greatly thank those who supported it, especially the company because without them, we have no way of making our dreams a reality),” Sibulan Tribal Chieftain Datu Rudy Agtag was also quoted.

The IPs vowed to take care of the projects and assured the company that all their efforts will not be wasted.

“Without the trust and support of the community, Hedcor’s dream of making lives better through sufficient supply of power would not have come true. Thus, a big part of the company’s success is theirs,” stated Hedcor Vice President Rolando Pacquiao.

Hedcor, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AboitizPower owning and operating 22 run-of-river hydropower plants in Davao, Benguet, Mountain Province and Ilocos Sur with a total capacity of 185 MWs. (PIA-XI/Carina L. Cayon)