Resource persons on Nambaran road project skip committee hearing; Tabuk City Councilor Bon-as says hearing to be rescheduled

Tabuk City, Kalinga — The Committee on Infrastructure of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Tabuk City has rescheduled its committee hearing on the Nambaran road project—allegedly the cause of flooding in the barangay last September—after the invited resource persons failed to attend the meeting on Friday afternoon, October 24.

Although there was a quorum, Committee Chairman Councilor Jayferson Bon-as decided to cancel the session since representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways–Lower Kalinga District Engineering Office (DPWH-LKDEO) and the Provincial Engineering Office were absent and could not address the concerns of residents.

According to Bon-as, the committee intended to get updates on the DPWH-LKDEO’s commitment to fix the drainage canal along the Nambaran road project, which residents claim caused the flash flooding in the barangay on September 25. The flood, which lasted only about an hour, reportedly submerged several houses in knee-deep water.

“Iti i-discuss tayo kuma ket nu anya iti update idiay commitment da regarding diay panaka-backfilled iti drainage canal idiay Nambaran, at the same time to give us update regarding diay consultation with the barangay officials of Nambaran regarding the concerns,” Bon-as said, noting that his office also received a copy of the residents’ complaint about the road-widening project.

With no representatives present to answer the committee’s questions, Bon-as and the members agreed to move the hearing to a later date.

“I-reschedule tayo since awan met dagiay resource speakers nga mangsungbat dagitoy questions tayo, ket alangan met nga ni kapitan iti mangsungbat, ket maysa met isuna nga concern idiay Nambaran. Isu nga i-reschedule tayo ta dadatayo lang iti adda tatta [October 24],” he explained.

The date for the rescheduled committee meeting has yet to be finalized.