ADB top officials proud over projects in SLeyte
By Jani Arnaiz
Maasin City, Southern Leyte
DRIVING THROUGH paved roads for more than two hours was just “nothing” to top ADB officials.
Even detouring along the way toward upland barangays when the road becomes rough and bumpy, a situation which Hinunangnons (natives of Hinunangan, Southern Leyte town) have long lived since the time of Marcos regime, ADB officials were still not mindful at all.
But when the convoy passed the gravel 13km Badiangon-Manlico farm-to-market road stretch that traverses six villages, necks were craning as if to see whether the P17 million ADB loan was well spent for its rehabilitation.
The apprehensions among the top officials headed by its Vice President C. Lawrence Greenwood, Jr and Philippine Country Director Neeraj Jain, flew thin when residents testified how good things were brought to their lives with the rehabilitation of the road.
The rehabilitated road has benefited six villages – Badiangon, Libas, Manalog, Manlico, Patong and Sto. Niño II – all in the hinterlands of Hinunangan town and part of the Imelda resettlement area during the Marcos regime.
Badiangon farmer Gregorio Calacar, said “When the road was still hardly passable, all our produce were just left to rut if there would be no buyer who would come or braved the dilapidated road. And we could not command a good price.”
Libas village chief narrated that before the road was improved, the price of gasoline was only P18-24, and the fare of the habal-habal (single motor used to transport goods and passengers) was P30 per head. But now that the gasoline cost as high as P60, the fare remained at P30 because of the good roads.
After hearing the testimonies, Greenwood was very appreciative but was more concerned on its maintenance.
“What we need here is how maintenance would be addressed at because it would be costly to rebuild it again and more hurting for you because you cannot use anymore the road because it was not maintained,” said Greenwood.
He said “In terms of the future our government certainly is open to work with the community here,” when asked if they would continue helping the farmer where they asked that the road be concreted.
“We are bullish that the farmers would improve their income and their standard of living of their families. It would also affect the kind of crop they are planting and they could expand,” added Greenwood.
The project was just a part of farm-to-market road multi-million peso loans ADB granted through InfRES (Infrastructure for Rural Enhancement Services) in partnership with the Department of Agriculture.
OPTIMISM
Government and education officials are optimistic that Southern Leyte would be on top of the list of Asian Development Bank when it gives another round of grants and loans.
The optimism came after top ADB officials made a positive assessment over key projects the bank assisted through grant provided by Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) and loans for education development and farm to market roads.
Aside from the InfRES projects, ADB through JFPR extended grants Southern Leyte for $3 million (about P150 M) for various disaster mitigating projects after the Guinsaugon tragedy in 2006.
The bank also loaned out multi-million pesos for education development for its Secondary Education and Development and Improvement Projects (SEDIP).
Greenwood told the Inquirer that they were positive that should there be another round of programs, Southern Leyte would be prioritized.
“We were amazed on how the officials completed the (JFPR) projects on schedule,” said Greenwood when asked what’s so special about the province that it would take top ADB officials to visit personally.
He said he would also want to hear personally how the province’s public high schools did to fare well in national achievement test.
“We are grateful that we have been a partner of the growing development and improvement of the educational standard of your schools,” the ADB president told teachers and students at the Rizal National High School in Tomas Oppus town, where it topped in 2006 National Achievement Test for high school.
Another highschool, Libas National High School in Hinunangan, was on top ten in NAT last year.
Ironically, all the topnotch schools are located in the hinterlands which has no amenities like lowland areas.
ADB has built schools, libraries and other facilities and the training of teachers through the SEDIP projects.
