VIGAN CITY, Mar. 15 (PIA) -- The P7,850,633.11 million Kakaldingan Bridge in Barangay Lungog, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur was turned over by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), headed by Secretary Bernie F. Cruz on March 8, to benefit 228 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) or farmers of the said barangay.

The Turn-Over Ceremony of the Kakaldingan Bridge was also graced by Undersecretary for Foreign Assisted and Special Projects Office (FASPO) Virginia N. Orogo; Assistant Secretary for Support Services Office Lawyer Milagros Isabel Cristobal; Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary for Finance, Management and Administration Office (FAMO) Lawyer Lucius Jun Jun G. Malsi; DAR Ilocos Regional Director  Primo C. Lara; DAR Region XI Director Joseph H. Orilla; and Municipal Vice Mayor Pablito Sanidad, Sr., along with representatives from the DPWH and Major Bethuel N. Barber, the Executive Officer of the 71st Infantry Battalion of the 7th Infantry Division of Philippine Army.

DAR is the lead agency of the project with support from the Local Government Unit of Narvacan and the Department of Public Works and Highways for its implementation.

“Ito pong programa na ito ay naging bahagi ng proyekto ng DAR, para sa Narvacan Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) natin, ito po’y ginagawa ng DAR para po magkabit-kabit ang mga barangay upang matulungan ang ating mga magsasaka at mga residente. Kapag po mas madaling umabot sa merkado ang mga produkto nila, matutulungan natin na umangat ang buhay ng mga residente," Asec. Cristobal said. 

She added: "This program became part of DAR’s project for the Narvacan ARC so that the barangays can be  connected. The farmers will gain easier access to market their products, and through this we will be able to help uplift the lives of the residents."

The said project will benefit the northern ARC with six barangays namely, Aquib, Ambulogan, Camarao, Lungog, Parparia, and Quinarayan.

Director Lara said, “The DAR secretary wanted us to reach, to connect, and to link with you, all ARBs, regardless of where you stay or where you occupy your individual villages, we will be going there to reach out to you.”

“This is also why there is one program which was conceptualized, visualized and has materialized which is still being used, DAR to Door program. At the height of the Coronavirus Disease 2019, we were able to craft this mechanism to reach out and extend our services to all ARBs,” he added.

The bridge has 2,179 direct beneficiaries and has a length of 34.20 linear meters of double lane steel with 27 meters of approaches without sidewalks.

It took five months and fifteen days to complete the project. (JCR/JPD/ATV, PIA Ilocos Sur)