Mayor Gumilab sought Panelo's assistance for road projects in Tinglayan

Tabuk City, Kalinga - Mayor Sacrament Gumilab sought the assistance of Salvador Panelo, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel of President Rodrigo Duterte, to help source out funds for various road projects in Tinglayan.

Gumilab cited that road projects are vital to provide better delivery of government services, boost the tourism industry, and eradicate marijuana trade in the municipality.

Panelo, as recalled, visited the province on Sunday, August 1, 2021, to determine the province's immediate needs and to provide possible means for solving them.

During his visit, provincial, municipal, and city officials were given the privilege to air the pressing needs of their locality and the province.

“So the problem is, we have 20 barangays scattered in the mountains of Tinglayan, and we need to have access roads to reach these barangays to bring government services closer to the people, like medical services and all other social services that the government wants to provide for the people,” the mayor stated.

He added that the tourism industry in the municipality could also be enhanced through road projects, as Tinglayan is a home for breath-taking tourist spots and the home of the oldest mambabatok, Apo Whang-od.

The mayor likewise mentioned the need to end marijuana cultivation in Tinglayan, which is also a perennial problem in the province. Gumilab pointed out that the establishment of roads will eventually transform those marijuana plantations into agricultural production sites.

“One of our proposal in Tinglayan is to bring the roads to the plantation area to transform it into agricultural plantation site for agricultural products, that is one of solution to this perennial problem and we know very much that when you put the roads there, the people in Butbut area will cease to have these means of livelihood because their real problem is that they don’t have any source of livelihood,” the mayor explained.

The mayor concluded that putting up and developing roads in his jurisdiction would solve many issues and problem arising in the municipality.

President Duterte, via phone call during the meeting, responded positively on said request and committed to refer it to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Gumilab is hopeful that Panelo would follow up said matter to the Office of the President, adding that the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel’s presence in the province is a way of the administration in showing concern, thus giving hope for yKalingas in need of said projects.

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