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FEATURE
RELEASE/SUCCESS STORY The
Social Development and Management Program of IRDC/GCC Has Done A Lot of
Good Things In Depressed Communities In Camalig, Albay Barangay Chairmen Vilma Canave, Alan Napay, and Marlon Nuyles of Barangays Mauraro, Miti, and Bariw; Kagawad Rodolfo Biñano of Barangay Quibongbongan; Barangay Secretary Marbie Otamias of Barangay Palanog; Monet Ariola-daughter of Barangay Chairman Jerry Ariola of Barangay Quitago; and public school teacher Leo Amano of Dña. Elena M. Garcia Elementary School in Barangay Quibongbongan all attested that, despite some hitches in the implementation of the SDMP on the part of the cement company in terms of fund allocations and availability, the assistance they received from the IRDC/GCC have augmented their varied economic needs and have put into reality some of the urgent infrastructure projects needed badly in their communities. Ms. Canave proudly recalled that Barangay Mauraro is a proud recipient of electrical cable wires for their electrification projects specifically bringing electricity to Sitio Jerusalem, a circular concrete water tank for the Barangay Mauraro water system, the first 100-meter barangay concrete road based on a written Memorandum of Agreement they entered with the cement company for the current year with additional 100 meters of same concrete road every year thereafter, filling materials to make a bridge-spillway passable and beautify a park, an asthma nebulizer, drum-type trash cans, and concrete posts for the barangay fencing projects. “The asthma nebulizer is worth P6,000.00 and it is intended for my asthmatic constituents. We used the concrete posts in fencing a portion of the Mauraro Elementary School to protect the school children from going astray near a busy barangay road from accident” Canave explained. “The assistance is a big boost to my leadership and Barangay Mauraro is grateful to IRDC/GCC about that and we are optimistic that there are more assistance coming because the SDMP of IRDC/GCC is a continuing program!” she added with amusement.
Barangay Chair Vilma Canave of Barangay Mauraro points to the 100-meter concrete barangay road and an asthma nebulizer her barangay received as assistance from the Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) of Ibalong Resources and Development Corporation-Goodfound Cement Corporation (IRDC/GCC). On the other hand, Barangay Chairman Alan Napay of Barangay Miti said “The assistance we received is something worthwhile and Barangay Miti is happy enough to extend its thanks to the IRDC/GCC”. “The IRDC/GCC gave us an electric water pump worth P30,000.00, cash assistance for the renovation and purchased of chairs for our barangay chapel and the concreting of some 1.5 kilometers of barangay road from Barangay Miti to Barangay Palanog. Barangay Miti is grateful to the IRDC/GCC for all these things” Napay further said. Like his peers, Barangay Chairman Nuyles of Barangay Bariw said he was also happy about the generosity of the IRDC/GCC although he said the cement company is yet to act on some of his urgent request but nevertheless it is good to say that the cement company is actually extending them assistance. “They gave us this steel fence protecting the front side of our Barangay Hall, replacement of old culverts with new one to upgrade the Barangay spill-way across the national road and the construction of an open line canal which served as a drainage system”. Nuyles pointed out. Like the three (3) local chief executives, Barangay Kagawad Biñano, Barangay Secretary Otamias, and Monet Ariola, all speaking in behalf of their respective barangay chairmen in representative capacities, acknowledged the valuable assistance extended to them by the cement company in alleviating some of their communities present economic woes and infrastructure needs. Kagawad Biñano, speaking in behalf of Barangay Chairman Dexter Odiver of Barangay Quibongbongan, said “The IRDC/GCC gave us 50 bags of cement which we used in coordination with the Philippine Army to build our barangay public toilet and in the production of concrete posts for the perimeter fencing of a portion of the Quibongbongan Elementary School”.
Barangay
Chairmen Marlon Nuyles (left) and Alan Napay (right) of Barangays Bariw
and Miti, proudly showed some of the assistance – an open line canal
and a water pump their respective barangays received from the IRDC/GCC.
Barangay
Secretary Otamias, representing Barangay Chairman Glenn Naparam of
Barangay Palanog explained “The IRDC/GCC granted us some P100,000.00
in cash assistance sometime last
year which the council utilized as a starting fund for the construction
of our Barangay Hall and for the renovation of our Barangay Health
Center and the SK basketball court”. She
added “Barangay Palanog also received medical assistance from the
cement company in the amount of P20,000.00 worth of medicines yearly
which we turned-over to the health center for proper disposition. She
recalled that the Palanog Elementary School is a recipient of a complete
set of musical instruments given by the IRDC/GCC for its drum and bugle
corps and there is an on-going request from the school to have those
instruments upgraded by the IRDC/GCC. Ms.
Ariola, daughter of Barangay Chairman Jerry Ariola of Barangay Quitago,
is quick to point-out an electric sewing machine she said is a stand-out
among similar assistance Barangay Quitago had previously and recently
received from the IRDC/GCC because she reason out it is used for the
barangay livelihood project. “It
is a big help for the middle-aged female unemployed in Quitago” Monet
said. Leo
Amano, a public school-teacher, thank and praised the assistance the Dña.
Elena M. Garcia Elementary School in Quibongbongan received from the
cement company in the form of some P10,000.00 in cash assistance, 200
bags of cement, and 25 pieces of drum-type trash can. “The
school used the cash assistance and the bags of cement to build the
school main stage and triangular benches in the school main premises
with labor counter-part from the Parent-Teacher Association” Amano
recalled.
SDMP
BENEFITS: (from left to right) a public toilet in Barangay
Quibongbongan, a complete set of musical instruments for the Palanog
Elementary School drum and bugle corps, concrete stage for the Dña
Elena M. Garcia Elementary School in Bgy. Quibongbongan, and an electric
sewing machine for the Barangay Quitago livelihood project. Barangays Mauraro, Miti, Bariw, Palanog, Quibongbongan, and Quitago are not the only beneficiaries of the SDMP being implemented by the IRDC/GCC as barangays Tagaytay, Quirangay, Caguiba, Cabañgan, Pariaan, Comon, Salugan, Malipo, Iluluan, Gapo, Anoling, Jerusalem, and Kinuartelan, all in Camalig and Guinobatan in Albay also received similar assistance, an evaluation report prepared by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Bicol (MGB-V) in the middle of this year showed. These named local government units (LGUs) are aside from the numerous other government and non-government entities given assistance by the cement company upon request. It can be recalled that the IRDC/GCC has spent some P6,797,747.00 for social and community development of these communities and entities alone for calendar years 2000 to 2002. This amount was spent for the construction, improvement, and repair of barangay halls, health centers, chapels, and water system; concreting of provincial and barangay roads and line canals; electrification; medical assistance; cooperative; flood control; scholarship; livelihood projects; information campaign; sports development; and clean and green programs. SDMP is mandated by the new Philippine Mining Law of 1995 or Republic Act 7942, Sections 134 to 136 of the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) Department Administrative Order (DAO) Numbered 96-40 as amended, and DENR DAO Numbered 2002-99 obligate contractors/permit holders/leases to effect development in the host and neighboring communities based on the latter own identified programs and projects through an SDMP. LValdez |
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