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Pala’wan IPs benefit from road dev’t in Bataraza

Around 50 households are expected to benefit from the road construction project connecting Pala’wan indigenous peoples (IPs) residing in the mountains of Barangay Culandanum, Bataraza, to the Poblacion area through the effort of the Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC) social development and management program (SDMP).

Community organizer Vannesa Apilan said that the 200-meter road project has an allocation of P50,000 from the SDMP for the community.

She believed that this project could help to improve the daily lives of the indigenous people in the community of IP Kulimbawang, Sitio Panas, Brgy. Culandanum.

“At least mapadali lang ang daan nila, maliit lang. Masukal kaya naisipan na magkaroon ng road improvement sa area na ‘yan. Masukal na daan ito (before), isang tao lang ang makadaan. Farm to market road na rin, at least tayo sa RTN ay makakatulong tayo sa paninda nila,” she said.

The road was completed and opened for the public’s access on August 31.

“Ngayon ay mayroon na magandaang daan kasi ang sukal ng dinadaan nila. Makikita natin na may improvement talaga, hindi na sila mahihirapan. Galing pa sa bundok at bababa pa sila sa highway,” she said.

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