Mayor Niña Opens P126-M WB Project to Benefit Town

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan –  The bane since time immemorial that haunted the people of the far flung villages here will be over after the new lady Mayor led recently the ground breaking ceremony of a concrete road and bridge that will connect them to the Poblacion here.

GROUND BREAKING. Bayambang Mayor Niña - Jose-Quiambao (4^th from right) hits the ground with a shovel during the ground breaking ceremony of the San Gabriel –II Farm-to-Market Road with Bridge. The more than P126 million World Bank – Department of Agriculture grant will benefit economically Barangays San Gabriel II, Pantol, Manambong Sur, Manambong Parte, and Paragos. The almost two kilometers concrete road and the 61. 5 linear meters’ concrete bridge have commenced work last July 5 and will be finished 450 calendar days thereafter.  

“Dahil po sa kalsada at tulay na ito ang mga bumibiyahi po papuntang Manila ay hindi na kailangan dumaan ng Alcala at Bautista para makapunta sa expressway. Ngayon ay mapapabilis na ang pagpunta natin sa Barangay Pantol para magbigay ng serbisyo. Ganito po ang pagmamahal ng Team Quiambao-Sabangan sa mga Bayambangueños,” Mayor Mary Clare Judith Phyllis “Niña” Jose-Quiambao told recently guests, reporters, and the local government officials how her husband and predecessor then Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao patiently waited for the World Bank and the Department of Agriculture to grant them the P126, 478,000.00 project of the D.A- Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) that would expedite travel of the prejudiced residents of these villages.

The concrete road stretches for 1.93 kilometers while the linear bridge is 61.6 meters.

Former Mayor Quiambao said it took four years to the groundbreaking ceremony held last Monday in Barangay San Gabriel II Elementary School for the project he and the officials and staff of the local government unit here worked vigorously to materialize.

“Ano ang lessons? A lot of patience ng LGU; Pangalawa, perseverance. Hindi tayo tumigil kahit maraming disappointments. Mga empleyado natin nagpupuyat para mai-submit natin on time pero marami pa rin kailangan gawin. We persevere for this project. Perseverance, patient, and of course transparency”.

Former Mayor Quiambao said that the more than a hundred million pesos’ project given gratis by the World Bank was above board.

Because of the 17 bidders that joined it to garner the award, the D.A gave his administration an honor of the Most Numbers of Bidders.

“Sa katunayan nakatanggap tayo ng isang award from the Department of Agriculture: The Most Number of Bidders Award hahaha pambihira! Labing pito (17) po ang sumali sa bidding”.

Because of  fierce competition to outbid each other and win the project, the WB and the Philippines government benefited to the final P107,932,093.15 winning bid or a saving of P18, 545,907.00 in the coffer.

“Diyan ninyo nakikita how transparent we are. Kaya I congratulate ang Chairman ng Special Bids & Awards Committee Mr. Ricky dela Rosa,” he added to the applause of the attendees.

Because of transparency of the past administration, the new chief executive will have an easy task to request for another grant with the international financial institution.

The former mayor and spouse of the present chief executive dubbed in the vernacular the hardship his team undergone to garner the multi-million pesos’ project: “Para tayong dumaan sa butas ng karayom (it’s just like we wiggle in the eye of the needle).

“But I assure you after this experience pwede na tayo humingi palagi ng projects sa Philippines Rural Development Program (PRDP) dahil sa ating karanasan kung paano pumasa sa paghingi ng proyekto sa World Bank”.

He jocularly told the crowd that during his 2016 mayoralty electoral sortie at Barangay Pantol he told then Vice Mayor Raul Sabangan that he mulled to give the remote barangay to either the towns of Bautista or Alcala.

”Sinabi ng ating mga kasamahan: Naku po! Matatalo kami magagalit ang mga Taga Pantol. So instead of announcing that I (would) give up to the other municipality, noong nanalo ako I announced pagagawa natin iyong Pantol to San Gabriel II”.

The bridge and the road will economically benefit the villages of San Gabriel II, Pantol, Manambong Sur, Manambong Parte, and Paragos. It will reduce travel time from 60 minutes to 30 minutes at year-1 onwards; reduce input hauling cost by 60% or from P25.00 without subproject to P10.00 with subproject; reduce output hauling cost at year -1 for rice and corn by 60% or from current hauling cost of P25.00 without subproject with P15.00 difference; and reduce transport losses from 4% to 2% from palay, corn, and Mung-bean; from 6% to 3% for onion, and from 8% to 5% for mango.

The invited guests for this occasion were Undersecretary for Operation and PRDP National Project Director Ariel T. Cayanan, D.A Region -1 Director Nestor D. Domenden, DA Regional Executive Director 2 Engr. Anthony Yanes, and other luminaries.