Gov gives 3 Trinidad brgys. CIDSS counterpart funds

THREE farm-to-market roads in Trinidad town will be better paved – thanks to the Kapitbisig Laban sa Kahirapan: Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi: Cidss). The program however requires counterparting of funds from the barangay in order to give the locals a sense of “ownership.”

Knowing that barangay funds can go only so much, the barangay councils of Catoogan, M. Roxas and Hinlayagan Ilaud were quick to pass resolutions seeking financial assistance from the provincial government. Gov. Erico Aumentado in response, distributed Thursday checks worth P50,000 each to the three barangays in rites that coincided with the town's 59th Foundation Day.

Mayor Osias Flor and Rep. Roberto Cajes of the 2nd District, among others, witnessed the turnover of the checks to barangay captains Bernardo Jumo of Catoogan, Diosdado Nuera of M. Roxas and Manolo Dungog of Hinlayagan Ilaud. Jumo said he will use the amount for the re-gravelling of a barangay road while Nuera said his share will be for road rehabilitation. On the other hand, Dungog said the amount he received with be for concreting of 250 meters of farm to market road with installation of a three-line Reinforced Concrete Pipe Culvert (RCPC) and grouted riprap.

Meanwhile, at the Foundation Day program, Aumentado announced the inclusion in the province's computerization program the two public high schools in Trinidad. “Information and communications technology ([ICT] through the Internet will link Trinidad not only with the rest of Bohol but with the rest of the Philippines and the world as well,” he explained. Also in the pipeline is the Bohol Irrigation Project Phase 3 (BHIP 3) that stands to benefit this and adjacent Bien Unido towns, among others, to be funded by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (Koica).

This even as the feasibility study for the Tubigon-Sagbayan-Carmen-Sierra Bullones-Jagna “port-to-port” highway is also ongoing, making travel from Trinidad to either port more convenient. Aside from Kalahi: Cidss, Trinidad is also among the 12 expansion towns of Heifer International-Philippines, along with Dagohoy, Ubay, Pres. Garcia, Sierra Bullones, Inabanga, Getafe, Talibon, Danao, Bien Unido, Buenavista and San Miguel.

Aumentado and Dr. Eduardo Sabio had signed a letter of agreement at the Century Park Hotel in Manila for the P37.609-million Livestock Integration for Food and Family Enhancement (LIFFE) for Boholanos – phase 2 of the Let's Help Bohol program – an animal dispersal program with livelihood, training and education components. Aumentado also assured the Trinidadnons that together with Cajes and Provincial Board members Amalia Reyes-Tirol and Ma. Fe Camacho-Lejos, he will work for the continued concrete- or asphalt-paving or re-gravelling of farm-to-market roads especially in the hinterland barangays. “The road improvement gives more teeth to the foundation anniversary theme of Kakugi ug Pagtinabangay: Yawe sa Kalinaw ug Kalambuan (Diligence and Cooperation: Key to Peace and Development),” the governor said.

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