VALENCIA, Negros Oriental, April 6 (PIA) -- Residents of Tamlang Valley, this province thanked the government for establishing a Community Primary Hospital (CPH) in their area.

On March 18, Gov. Roel Degamo, chairperson of the Negros Oriental Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NOTF ELCAC), together with other department heads of the provincial government and officers of the Philippine Army led by 302nd Infantry Brigade Commander BGen. Leonardo Peña, officiated the groundbreaking of the Tamlang Valley CPH in Brgy. Dobdob, this town.

The CPH will have facilities for birthing and minor operations, consultation, medical laboratory, and patient admissions.

Tamlang Valley is a mountainous area in southern Negros Oriental surrounded by neighboring towns Sta. Catalina, Siaton, and Pamplona.

Barangay Dobdob Chairperson Capt. Jayson Saycon disclosed that the said project would leave a great impact on the community as the hospital is placed in the central part of Tamlang Valley and is accessible to residents from other villages in the area. 

“Kining lugaraha layo kaayo sa ospital. Molugsong pa ka sa unang panahon. Karon, ang katawhan dako kaayo ang kalipay ug pagmaya sa mahitabong ospital na dire tukuron sa atong area (This area is far from the hospital. We have to travel far to get to the hospital before. People are now happy with this hospital which will be constructed in our area),” Saycon said.

United Farmers of Tamlang Association Pres. Pablito Galicano also thanked the government for this project.

“Kining gibuhat sa gobyerno nanghatag ug dakong kaayuhan sa atoang komunidad. Ania sad nahimutang dire ang CPH. Kini lamang daan usa kini siya sa matawag nato nga makahatag og kauswagan dili lamang sa mga kaigsoonan na naa a bukid nagpuyo kon dili makahatag ni ug kaayuhan sa tanan (This project of the government is a big benefit to the community. We now have a CPH. This will bring development not only for the people in hinterlands but for all people as well),” Galicano said.

He said he has been a resident of Tamlang Valley for 20 years and this is the first time that the government was able to put up a hospital in their area.

The Tamlang Valley CPH is a major undertaking of the NOTF ELCAC. 

This is in line with the government’s goal to bring essential services closer to the doorstep of the people to address the issues related to insurgency.

Another resident of Tamlang Valley, Charity Raging, said that with the CPH, life will become somehow comfortable in their community.

“Nagpapasalamat kaming lahat sa dumating na proyekto sa aming lugar. Salamat sa inyong lahat sa (Task Force) ELCAC. Napakagaan na po ng buhay lalung-lalo nang dumating iyong proyektong ito. Hindi katulad noong una na sobrang hirap, luha, at pagod noong una kong dating dito. Ang laki pasalamat namin sa lahat ng ahensya,” she said.

Raging disclosed she grew up in Manila but transferred to Tamlang Valley after marrying her husband who hails from the area.

She recalled that they had to pass through difficult trails in order to reach their barangay.

With the sincerity and commitment of the government in making life comfortable for residents in hinterland areas, the provincial government and the Municipal Government of Valencia have started building road networks leading to the area to make transportation easier for the residents. 

However, these road networks need to be concreted since they are still rough roads, and NOTF ELCAC Chairperson and Gov. Roel Degamo said he is looking into this. 

With this, he mentioned to the residents of Dobdob some of the proposed road concreting projects to be implemented in Tamlang Valley.

These include the Sitio Tamlang Proper to Karima, Karima to Avocado, and the rehabilitation, improvement, upgrading of Malaunay-Dungga-Inas Provincial Road, Closing Datagon-Sta. Agueda-Magsusunog, Enrique Villanueva - Dobdob - Talalak - Nagbagang Provincial Road, Closing Datagon - Sta. Agueda - Magsusunog,-Enrique Villanueva - Dobdob - Tamlang-Talalak - Nagbagang Provincial Road, road improvement of Mantiquil-Dobdob Provincial Road, and the construction of multiple box culvert connecting sitio Avocado - Sitio Tamlang.

The total budget for these road network projects amount to P66.1 million.

Members of the Sangguniang Panglalawigan have yet to approve the release of the said budget. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)