• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The long awaited construction of farm to market roads in three Hinobaan barangays, where some people have allegedly even offered to cut their fingers if the project pushes through, according to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, is about to start, after its groundbreaking on Wednesday.
The farm to market road will connect villages of Talagacay, Bacuyangan and Damutan, in Hinobaan, with the project funded by the Department of Agriculture, Philippine Rural Development Project, and World Bank, as facilitated by the Provincial Engineer’s Office.
Lacson said the provincial government provided a counterpart of P51.3 million out of the P513.3 million project,
The farm-to-market road has a total length of 24.475 kilometers, with a 30 meter bridge. It is expected to be completed in 2027.
“It is a project that has been talked about for so many years already. It’s a project that people would bet, some even offered to cut their fingers, if it will push through. So, it’s finally pushing through,” Lacson said.
Once the project is done, the governor said it would perk up the economic activity of Hinobaan, noting that the three barangays have vast potential for agriculture.
The groundbreaking rites was attended by Nichols Manalo, OIC Assistant Secretary for Operations and OIC National Project Director of PRDP, DA regional director for Western Visayas Dennis Arpia, Representative Mercedes Alvarez, Board Member Jeffrey Tubola, Hinobaan Mayor Daph Anthony Reliquias and Vice Mayor Jefre Encoy, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz, Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Alberto Nellas, Jr., and PCol. Rainerio de Chavez, provincial police director of Negros Occidental, among others.*
