Bad road in Medellin concreted after 30 yrs

After three decades, residents of barangay Lamintak Sur in the northern town of Medellin finally saw their roads concreted.

Medellin Mayor Ricardo Ramirez said residents had to take a long walk to Lamintak Sur from the main road because no transportation was available as the road was of poor condition that time.

But after 30 years, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Ramirez recently inaugurated the 420-meter newly concreted road in barangay Lamintak Sur, and another 856 meters of road sections in barangay Kawit.

This is part of the barangay concreting project initiated by Garcia, wherein each barangay received 360 bags of cement.

Capitol and officials of Medellin agreed that all bags of cement from the Province will be “poured in priority roads that they will identify.” For this year, they targeted three barangays including Kawit and Lamintak Sur.

“Mosakripisyo gyod una ang uban aron sa kaayohan sa tanan,” Garcia said upon knowing that all 19 barangay captains agreed to have their share of the cement given to the prioritized barangays as inspired by the governor’s brand of service.

In reply, Garcia said she was the one inspired and deeply touched by the kind of unity Medellin has shown.

Garcia is hopeful that other towns would emulate what Medellin had done.

“Mao ni ang gitawag og tampo-tampo,” Ramirez said.

In last year’s polls, Ramirez belonged to the opposing camp, supporting Garcia’s rival, former congressman Antonio Yapha. Also, he is a close ally of former congressman and now Bogo City Mayor Celestino Martinez, Jr.

But just recently, Ramirez has openly supported the governor and recognized that the “elections had long been over and that it is now time to unite for progress.”

Amparo Sollano, a resident of Lamintak Sur, expressed how happy she is that after 30 years, she no longer has to walk to her house all the way from the town market with bought goods on her head. —  Garry B. Lao/MEEV