Gov. Edduba pushes ₱46.5-M irrigation project to help isolated Mabongtot farms in Lubuagan

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — A proposed ₱46.5-million communal irrigation project for Barangay Mabongtot in Lubuagan is advancing, raising hopes of improved farm production and better opportunities for a community that has long experienced isolation.

Governor James S. Edduba urged the provincial government to give Mabongtot a chance to develop its agricultural potential as the project moves toward approval.

“Let us give Mabongtot a chance because this barangay has long been isolated,” Edduba said in Ilocano during the provincial government’s flag-raising ceremony on October 12 at the Kalinga Sports Center.

The proposed project, officially called the Improvement/Rehabilitation of the Saod-Sucnip-Ambinjong-Ladog Communal Irrigation System, has a projected cost of ₱46.501 million and is designed to provide irrigation to 43.49 hectares of agricultural land in Mabongtot.

Provincial Agriculturist Nancy Aowat reported that the provincial delegation, led by Edduba and members of the Provincial Project Monitoring and Implementation Unit, presented the proposal to the Department of Agriculture Regional Office in Baguio City on October 9.

The proposal’s endorsement marks progress toward final approval and implementation. Once completed, the irrigation system is expected to improve farmers’ access to water, strengthen agricultural production and help reduce the effects of irregular rainfall.

Edduba said Mabongtot’s isolation had also limited residents’ participation in activities in neighboring Lubuagan, including town fiestas and other community events.

He acknowledged the efforts of the Lubuagan local government, community elders and the Kalinga Bodong Council of Elders in settling the longstanding conflict involving Lubuagan and Mabongtot.

Edduba expressed hope that the settlement would pave the way for a sipat, a traditional peace pact, between the two communities.

The proposed irrigation project forms part of the provincial government’s efforts to improve agricultural infrastructure and expand opportunities for farming communities, particularly those in geographically isolated areas.

For Mabongtot, the project could help strengthen local agriculture while supporting broader efforts to restore peaceful relations and reconnect residents with neighboring communities.