Hopes of economic development in the rural areas soared with the start of construction and rehabilitation of a Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) passing through four interior barangays.
Rehabilitation and construction of the San Vicente Cagutian FMR was launched recently through a groundbreaking ceremony last September 9, 2007 in Brgy. San Vicente. City officials and department heads led by City Mayor Coefredo Uy joined barangays officials and other stakeholders in the said ceremony, which was described by the guest of honor as "a time for celebration."
To be implemented as part of the Infrastructure for Rural Productivity and Enhancement Sector (InfRES) Project which is partially funded by the Asian Development Bank, the program involves the rehabilitation of 7 km of existing FMR from San Vicente to Brgy. Palanyogon and construction of an additional 5 km of new road opening from the latter to Brgy. Cagutian.
The resulting 12 km of road is expected to provide access to four interior barangays namely Palanyogon, San Vicente, Albalate and Cagutian. Other projected benefits to come to the aforementioned communities include reduced transportation costs for agricultural products, enhanced agricultural production and profitability and decreased rate of poverty incidence
Guest of honor Mike Allman, who is also the InfRES Project Management Specialist and Team Leader, stressed that the construction and rehabilitation of the road itself is only half the work. He said that the next step will be to utilize the said road for the benefit of the people.
Later in the pre-construction conference, Allman also said that captains of the four directly affected barangays should discuss among themselves on how to meet the project requirement called LBES or Labor Based Equipment System.
Under LBES, barangay residents are to be hired as laborers in exchange for minimum wages. Aside from making the locals feel that they are part of the project, Allman said that providing employment to them is an example of the "good politics" that they encourage.
In his welcome address, City Vice Mayor Manuel Van Torrevillas referred to the event as "another era in community development" as the road rehab/construction will also contribute to the progress of the city as a whole. "It will serve as a community catalyst to other areas aside from the directly affected barangays."
City Mayor Coefredo Uy likewise said that the opening of the said road will open "doors of opportunities" as well for the directly affected barangays.
Also present during the event were the chairpersons of the four directly affected barangays - namely Teresita Golias of Brgy. San Vicente, Samuel Cabagnan of Palanyogon, Ramon Cabanjen of Cagutian and Zosimo Dacles of Albalate - to give their message of commitment.
Catbalogan City is one of the 100 LGUs selected as sites for the InfRES Project. A total investment of P 150 Million will be channeled directly to the LGUs to ensure the efficient implementation of the infrastructure projects.
In Catbalogan, the project cost amounted to P 38 Million, a combination of counterpart funds from the LGU, the national government, the barangay and the funding donor.