Talaingod Municipal Mayor Jonnie Libayao intends to prioritize programs and projects which his constituents express as their needs.
In a brief press conference during the recent founding anniversary celebration of Talaingod, Libayao made a candid statement that he had no specific priorities, but he would be giving utmost consideration to those that his constituents need.
“Ani sya; wala ko’y priority. Kung unsay kinahanglan sa tao, mao nay akung priority (I have no priorities. What the people need is my priority), he said.
Offhand, he had monitored the common need for a road network especially to the far-flung Ata-Manobo communities, economic opportunities and livelihood, and water system.
He noted as “a waste of money and resources” if the local government would be identifying projects which would not fit with what the constituents actually need.
Talaingod lies at the border with the province of Bukidnon. Estimated to cover 65,683 hectares, the town is landlocked and mountainous. It only has three barangays of Dagohoy, Palma Gil and Sto Nino with an estimated population of about 28,000 majority of whom are Ata-Manobo.
“Sa sitio ug diin sa mga barangay, kung unsay gusto ninyo nga matabang sa gobyerno diri, so mao gyud kini atong i-hatag. Mao na atong gina himo. Bout pasabot, sayang ang kwarta sa gobyerno kung kita’y mag buot mga opisyal (In the villages and in the barangays, what you want the government to provide, that would be what we give. That means, it would be a waste of money if we, the officials, would be the one, deciding.), he said.
Libayao conveyed gratitude to Davao del Norte Provincial Governor Edwin Jubahib for opening up roads in far-flung areas but he said a number of villages in Talaingod have yet to be connected through roads. He mentioned some villages such as sitio Pongpong, Peroy, Mumunan, Badiatan, Semong.
Meanwhile, Libayao also intended to sustain the “insurgency-free” status of the municipality however, he had seen the need for continued delivery of government services as promised to indigenous people (IP) residents.
“Para ma sustain na.. mao na ipadayon kung unsay mga commitment nato didto sa kabukiran. Kining pag-mintenar sa kalsada, mga health services. kung unsa pay dapat buhaton, nga ma sustenar. (To sustain it .. we have to continue what we have committed to
However, he admitted the limitations of the municipal government as he acknowledged the importance of the continued support for Talaingod from Governor Jubahib and even from 1st District Congressman Pantaleon Alvarez.
Libayao also said that he and his fellow local government officials will continue tapping national government agencies and other sources, for more funding support to provide the needs of his constituents. (PIA XI/ Jean Duron Abangan)
