Residents of Barangay Cabatacan West in Lasam, Cagayan province can now enjoy improved access to government services and livelihood opportunities with the completion of a newly-concreted road with reinforced concrete pipe culvert.
The new access road was officially turned over on Tuesday (July 8) by DSWD officials led by Undersecretary Alan Tanjusay of the Peace and Development Group (PDG) to residents of Barangay Cabatangan West under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program’s Cycle 2.
The project costing Php1.2 million was built in a barangay that was once a conflict-affected community. It was completed through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) PAMANA program in partnership with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU).
Now fully-functional, the access road is expected to significantly improve local mobility, access to basic government services, and boost economic opportunities.
“This road is more than just infrastructure. It reflects our administration’s commitment to inclusive development and lasting peace. Through these efforts, we continue to support the Marcos administration’s peace and development agenda by delivering meaningful change to communities that have long been underserved,” Undersecretary Tanjusay said in his message during the turnover rites.
Undersecretary Tanjusay said initiatives like this reinforce the PAMANA program’s mission to promote peace by delivering community-identified development projects which improve access to livelihood, social protection, and essential services in conflict-affected areas-reflecting the DSWD’s vital role in the peace agenda of the Marcos administration.
“The PDG, under the leadership of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, will continue directly contributing to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision of building peace as a foundation for national progress, ensuring that no community is left behind in the journey toward inclusive development,” Undersecretary Tanjusay pointed out.
The project was implemented by DSWD through its Peace and Development Buong Bansa Mapayapa – National Program Management Office (PDBBM-NPMO) and Field Office 2- Cagayan Valley, in coordination with the OPAPRU.
Other DSWD officials who witnessed the turnover ceremony were Director Melvin Dayrit, who serves as the Deputy Program Manager of the PDBBM-NPMO; and FO-2 Regional Director Lucia Suyu-Alan. (LSJ)