3 municipalities in Zambo Sur need Php4.4Billion worth anti-poverty projects

By JONG D. CADION

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (May 13, 2015) --- Three Municipal Local Goverrnment Units (MLGUs) of Aurora, Kumalarang and Mahayag of this province submitted more than Php4.4 billion worth of project proposals to address the high poverty incidence.

The project proposals were submitted to the Accelerated and Sustainable Anti-Poverty Program (ASAPP) Focal Person for the Human Development and Poverty Reduction-National Economic Development Authority (HDPR-NEDA) Cabinet cluster for Zamboanga Sur for funding and implementation.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Regional Public AffairS Office (DENR-RPAO) Officer Roservirico Tan said Monday the three Municipal Local Government Units (MLGUs) submitted their project proposals last Friday following their workshop convened by National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC).

Tan said the 3 MLGUs were mandated to submit projects proposals that should justify that these will eventually lead to economic development in the area with the goal to reduce poverty through creation of more jobs.

With ASAPP, it is not just a government-initiated project but in partnership with the private sector, Tan also said.

Tan added that these projects will sustain the current gains from the governance reforms creation of sustainable employment opportunities including self-employment to address specific needs of poor constituents.

He said the three municipalities of this province were identified as beneficiaries of ASAPP with DENR as an integral part designated as convenor-agency to lead in the implementation as delivery manager of the program as agreed by the HDPRC Cluster.

Aurora Municipal Mayor Boen Dorotheo Cabahug submitted project proposals with a total amount of Php1,616,286,300  while Kumalarang Mayor Eugenio Salva, Jr needed Php1,585,080,000 for his project proposals and Mahayag Mayor Lorna Saycon proposed projects worth Php1,200,650,000.

Aurora LGU highlighted their proposed Solar Electric Power Supply to address the present power crises in Mindanao amounting to Php100 million to cater to 1,250 households to the different barangays that have no access to electricity.

Concreting of farm to market roads, improvement of water system, livelihood projects and the construction of Aurora Hospital were also included in their proposals.

Kumalarang LGU emphasized the importance of concreting the 14 kilometers national secondary road that will connect Lapuyan and Kumalarang and 4 kilometers that will connect Diplo Kumalarang to Salagmanok, Lakewood and other infrastructure projects that will generate local employment.

The MLGU of Kumalarang also included in their proposals cacao, coffee and rubber planting with rubber processing center, integrated rice processing, Mangrove tree planting and crab farming and fattening.

MLGU of Mahayag focused more on the concreting of their farm to market roads, the construction of the river bank protection, construction and improvement of their social services facilities, establishment of palay processing center with facilities and equipment, the establishment of their post-harvest facilities, improvement of communal irrigation system and livelihood projects.

MLGU of Mahayag proposed the upgrading of their hospital from 10-bed to 20-bed capacity, construction of technical and vocational building with tools and equipment and the construction of sports complex.

The 3 municipalities of Aurora, Kumalarang and Mahayag were identified with high poverty incidence by the DSWD Regional Office during their household (HH) profiling survey in 2009.

In Mahayag, out of 9,019 Households 62.5% or 5,278 were identified as poor Households, Kumalarang with 6,189 HH: 61.7% or 3,816 are poor, while Aurora has 60.2% or 5,376 identified as poor out of 8,926 households.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has recorded the magnitude and percentage of poor Household (HH) in Region-9 Zamboanga del Sur -- 63.78 percent or 115,673 identified poor HH out of 181,371 number of HH assessed.

National Anti-Poverty Commission Undersecretary Jude Esguerra assured the MLGUs that the proposed project submitted will be subject to evaluation and assessment on Friday May 15 by the HDPR-NEDA for approval and will be included immediately in the release of budget within this year 2015.

Records show, a total of Php300 Billion budget for the Anti-poverty program was unspent by the government that is why ASAPP will be listening to the presentations of the MLGUs beneficiaries to know more about their needs, Esguerra disclosed.

The 3 municipalities will at the same time serve as the bridge or “Pangtawid Municipality” of their neighboring municipalities from urban to rural for development, Esguerra explained.