Villagers, school children appeal for Congressman Yap’s help “Unsafe” footbridge at Sitio Balococ, Brgy. Camp 4, Tuba needs immediate repair
BALOCOC FOOTBRIDGE-VITAL ACCES IN EDUCATION AND FARM TO MARKET: Concern about the safety of village people, Angelita Sugalan, president of Sugalan Clan Small-Scale Mining Association on Monday (Sept 12) on her way for community volunteer work, helps school children cross the decades-old steel footbridge. Also, the photo shows residents with motorbikes negotiating a steep portion of a mountain that leads to the footbridge and a portion of the bridge that needs repair. Photos by Primo Agatep
TUBA, Benguet- Villagers especially school children at Sitio Balococ, Barangay Camp 4 in this town, have something to look forward and their fears may soon be lessened in crossing the decades-old steel footbridge following recent action by their barangay officials.
Acting on the clamor by residents that include vegetable farmers and small-scale miners of Sitios Balococ and Goldstream, barangay officials of Camp 4 recently passed a resolution, asking the help of Benguet Congressman Yap to allocate some P3-Million for the rehabilitation of the said footbridge.
“The current condition of the footbridge at Balococ is unsafe to the residents, “ barangay officials stated through their resolution ( Res. No. 54. S 2022).
The steel footbridge, estimated at less than 100 meters in length separated by steep mountains, and about 30 meters deep down, divide Sitios Balococ and Goldstream.
“The rehabilitation of said footbridge is a dire need among the residents for their easy access, “the resolution stated.
“ It is an alternative farm to market road access.”
In an interview on Monday (Sept 12) during the school day, Mildred Camoda, 18 years old, 12th grader at Twin Peaks National High School, said:” It’s good that we are allowed to back to school and continue our studies through face-to-face learning, however, we hope that our pathways, roads and our footbridge should be improved to ease our daily struggle and to keep us safe,” Camoda said in the vernacular, who herself a resident of Sitio Bacoloc.
“Congressman Yap, Sir, we the residents of Balococ (Camp 4, Tuba), are appealing for your help, and we are inviting you to come and visit our place, and whatever assistance you can extend, we owe a big gratitude,” Camoda said in the local dialect.
“Your assistance will be a great help in lifting our living conditions, ease the hardships of students in going to school and market our agricultural products which may soften our daily struggles,” added Camoda , a consistent honor student, who plans to take up education as her primary course and, journalism as her second choice.
Camoda, like other local residents especially her fellow students in their community, fears for their safety in crossing the footbridge in its present condition. And they don’t want that another accident may happen like when a nearby footbridge collapsed, resulting to injuries to some residents.
Camoda, daughter of a small-scale miner, together with other students in the village had to hike for almost an hour, scaling steep, zigzagging, and rugged mountains to reach school.
Only during the pandemic when the motorbike introduced for easy mobility and primary means of transporting food and medical supplies. And now, face-to-face learning had resumed, and motorbikes were used especially for those that can afford them. Others had to resort in hiring this type of transportation for a reasonable fare.
Actually, the approval of the said resolution was through a motion by Mercedes Bayec, indigenous people representative mandatory representative (IPMR) of Barangay Camp 4, herself a resident of Balococ.
And all the barangay officials (Camp 4) were present during the approval of the resolution that includes Barangay Chairman Romeo Salinas, who told this writer that the rehabilitation of the said footbridge is paramount for the general welfare and public safety.
Tuba Mayor Clarita Sal-ongan had endorsed the said barangay resolution.
In a telephone interview, Kagawad Bayec said, his fellow barangay officials are doing all their best to address the countless needs of their constituents -prioritization is a concern.
Kagawad Bayec , who was nursing then from an ailment, recognized the volunteerism of Angelita Sugalan, president of Sugalan Clan Small-Scale Mining Association, who delivered the said barangay resolution to the office of Congressman Yap.
Moreover, Kagawad Bayec acknowledged Angelita (Sugalan), who took extra time and effort to show to this writer the place-living conditions of the people.
Actually, Angelita (Sugalan) together with Sandy Asmin, former barangay kagawad, now treasurer of Goldstream SSM, and some community volunteers, toured this writer to their village, and showed some projects initiated by their village and also government/barangay such, as path walks, slope protection works-road railings including some vegetable farms, and nursery facilities (tree planting).
“Bayanihan spirit is very much alive in our villages, “ said unison by the two local SSM leaders.
Villagers including small-scale mining associations have been appealing to the government to sustain its support like infrastructure— improvement of road network system, and in the field of agriculture, among others.
Agriculture is the main source of livelihood of Sitios Balococ and Goldstream, geographically isolated areas- surrounded by steep mountains. A few small-scale mining associations are also operating in the area. Primo Agatep
