30 strife-torn Agusan Sur communities to benefit from PAMANA program

AGUSAN DEL SUR — With the release of at least P18 million from the peace and development program of the present administration, livelihood and infrastructure projects in 30 strife-torn communities in the province are set to begin soon. In an interview with GMA News Online, Agusan del Sur Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza said the provincial government has refocused its priority projects in support of President Benigno Aquino III's efforts to restore peace and order in the province, particularly in conflict-affected areas. Citing data from 2008 to 2010, Plaza noted that in the entire Mindanao area, the province ranked 4th in terms of the number New People’s Army encounters with the government troops. Within the span of three years, Agusan del Sur ranked second with 113 encounters and Surgao del Norte being first with 117, the governor said. Regional government record showed that out of 956 conflict-affected areas in Caraga region, 208 are in Agusan del Sur, which has 318 barangays in 13 towns and one city. A total of 30 barangays in the towns of San Francisco, Prosperidad, Sibagat and Bayugan City have been identified as recipients of livelihood and infrastructure projects under Aquino's Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program. PAMANA is the government’s peace and development program and framework which seeks to reduce poverty, improve governance and empower communities through community-driven projects that address people’s needs while promoting peace. Spearheaded by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, other partners in the implementation of the PAMANA include Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Interior and Local Government, and Department of Agrarian Reform. Reports released by the Agusan del Sur Provincial Public Information Office showed that the 30 barangays are located in the Andap Valley the military tagged as “nesting grounds" of communist rebels coming from Surigao and Agusan provinces. It has a total population of 44,499 mostly belonging to tribal communities. “Our main target is to increase the household monthly income from P3, 500 to P6, 500 [monthly] by initiating viable livelihood projects in the areas", Plaza said. The Governor pointed out that the provincial government is also working to iron out differences in “multiple tenurial instruments" within the ancestral lands. Livelihood projects lined up for immediate implementation are: abaca production with P1, 271, 587 allocation; rubber production, P599, 500; cacao production, P2.5 million; rubber based farming system (rubber +banana), P1.7M; rubber based farming system (rubber+banana+fruit trees) P2.3M; and handicraft production P500,000. Infrastructure projects include: the P2-M rehabilitation of Andanan Bailey Bridge; P378, 913 for Water Supply System; P2.2M for the rehabilitation of Tagubay-Mahayag Road Section; P2.25M for the rehabilitation of JCT, Sta. Irene and La Purisima in Bayugan City; and P2.25 for the rehabilitation of Bitan-agan and Lucac in San Francisco town. — Alden Pantaleon /LBG, GMA News