BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (PIA) - - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recently completed various infrastructure and irrigation projects for upland communities in this province.

These projects are the 0.75 kilometers Pingkian Access Road, 2.08 km Talmoy-Daldal Pathway, 45 linear meters Udongaw Hanging Bridge, 0.68 km Latbang Pathway, and 4.2 km Bahlungay Irrigation Pipeline System, all in Kayapa town and the 4.88 km Lazar Kalinga Irrigation Pipeline System in Dupax del Sur town.

These turned-over projects were funded through DENR’s  Agroforestry Support Facilities (ASF) worth P40 million under the Forestland Management Project (FMP) in the province.

DENR Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan said the irrigation pipelines will provide stable water supply to the households and agroforestry projects in the upland communities while the access roads and pathways will ease transportation of products of upland farmers to nearby markets.

Bambalan led the signing of the tripartite Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the operation and maintenance of the turned-over projects.

She said  that this year, a total of 13 ASF were turned-over to the local government units and people’s organizations (POs) in Nueva Vizcaya.

She thanked the local chief executives and the POs for their support to the department’s greening effort especially to the FMP.

“You are now responsible for these projects. We hope that these will uplift your economic and living conditions while nurturing and protecting our environment,” Bambalan said.

She said the DENR also  maintained and protected over 25,000 hectares of plantations to strengthen forestland management in critical river basins in Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino provinces.

The turn-over of the ASF projects were attended by Rep. Luisa Cuaresma and local government unit officials of the recipient towns.(MDCT/BME/PIA Nueva Vizcaya)