After getting a fresh mandate to serve his people, Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario got down to business by launching six projects in three barangays of Davao del Norte amounting to P3.3 million last May 28, 2010.
The projects will address the minimum basic needs of the people in pursuit of the all-encompassing RDR WHEELS development agenda that the governor started during his first term.
The projects include the barangay hall renovation and canal lining projects in Pagsabangan, Tagum City ; the hanging bridge project in Buclad Asuncion, and the new barangay hall, health center and fencing projects in Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte.
The P1 million 61-linear meter hanging bridge project connects Purok 1 of Barangay Buclad to Purok 6, which are separated by the imposing Saug River .
The bridge replaces the high-risk conveyance using a dilapidated makeshift platform being suspended from two cables, which residents used in crossing the river.
Gov. del Rosario lauded the provincial engineers for their innovation in implementing the project, which he said is a component of his administration’s no dead-end projects.
He said the projects are all part of the Project NOBLE (No Barangay Left Behind) that assures fair allocation of provincial resources to the barangays, with an allocation of P1 million per barangay.
In the tribal barangay of Gupitan, the governor urged the people to help the government in its anti-illegal logging campaign.
He promised barangay officials and residents of more projects if they cease cuddling illegal loggers that are not only destroying the environment, but are also constantly damaging the provincial roads.
He hit the huge ‘Sadam’ trucks utilized by the environmental lawbreakers in hauling their pilferages that cost the provincial government millions of peso in road maintenance.
The governor assured to connect the remote barangay to the shortest route going to the municipal center of Kapalong by opening up more than 10 kilometers of road traversing a part of the Pantaron Range and by constructing a 30-linear meter bridge that would link it up to the provinial road in barangay Suaon.
At present, one would have to take the long rugged route of about 40 kilometers away from the town center just to get to the remote barangay.
“We hope to complete this project in my next term of office,” the governor assured the residents, adding:
“Basta mag-uban lang kita sa kalambuan, dili sa kalokohan (let’s unite for progress never tolerating follies),” he challenged them.
After inaugurating the projects in Gupitan, Gov. del Rosario and his party proceeded to sitio Patil about 20 kilometers away to find out how the province could bring a dramatic turnaround in the development of the far-flung locality that has since been a transit point for illegally cut logs.
