2nd district's towns clustered for planning of brgy projects

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines  — The 14 towns in the 2nd district of Bohol have been formed into sub-district clusters, each of which would plan and identify barangay development projects for inclusion in the Integrated Barangay Development Planning Project.

National Economic Development Authority-Region 7 director Efren Carreon said, “Areas close to each other (geographically) are usually the ones sharing natural and agricultural resources, thus they should co-manage these.”

Carreon also said that sub-district clustering will result in stronger lobbying power for funds for the proposed integrated projects. “It will be cheaper to operate a facility if there is greater demand since the cost of operation will be shared by many people,” he said.

The 2nd district towns were divided into four sub-district areas (SDA): The first group comprising of Clarin, Inabanga, Buenavista and Jetafe; the second (Talibon, Bien Unido, and Trinidad); the third (San Isidro, Sagbayan, Danao, Dagohoy and San Miguel); and the fourth (Ubay and Pres. Carlos P. Garcia).

The barangays of these towns have been clustered based on geographic proximity to each other, shared natural and agricultural resources, natural boundary—with consideration on islands or islets, and future role in the district or area.

The clustering was done during the recent meeting of IBDPP’s steering committee and technical working group, along with mayors, municipal planning officers of the district, officials of government agencies, and Rep. Erico Aumentado (2nd district, Bohol).

The meeting, hosted by Buenavista town Mayor Ronald Lowell Tirol, was facilitated by Rustical Mascariñas of DILG-7 and Teresa Alambra of NEDA-7 who took charge of the orientation workshop on planning.

Aumentado said the gathering also drafted the Integrated Barangay Development Masterplan that will serve as guide in future fund allocation from his PDAF. This early, he allocated P1.1 million, deposited as trust fund with Land Bank under the NEDA-7 account for the IBDPP.

NEDA-7 OIC assistant director Madelyn Escandor said that, in the timetable, they target to conduct a consultation on the draft of the development plan in the middle of July this year, then finalize it in the last two weeks of July and be able to present and have it adopted by the Local Development Councils and concerned Municipal Councils by August this year. Later, the Municipal Councils shall approve their respective ordinances approving the Integrated Development Plan, she said.

With the development blueprint about to be done, Aumentado said he wanted barangay projects to focus on achieving self-sufficiency in power, water and food. 

Aumentado proposed the Bohol NorthEast Basin Multi-Purpose Dam in Brgy. Concepcion of Danao to produce 10-megawatt hydropower supply and irrigate about 19,000 hectares of rice lands also in the towns of San Miguel, Trinidad, Dagohoy, Bien Unido and Ubay.  (FREEMAN)