In Arteche, Samar
ARTECHE, Samar– The groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a concrete road connecting three riverside barangays in this town is more than just a symbolic event—it’s a beacon of hope for a brighter future.
Bonifacio Roncales, a 32-year-old father of two, expressed his optimism about the road project that will link his village, Conception, to Barangay Bigo.
“I am happy that finally, our village will be connected to the rest of Arteche through land travel. This will open up opportunities to improve our living conditions,” said Roncales, who works as a boatman.
The three-kilometer road project, funded by the national government at a cost of P48.19 million, will also connect the riverside village of Caglasay.
The project, which broke ground on Sunday, August 18, is expected to benefit more than 2,300 residents across these three barangays. Its target completion is on March,2025.
Arteche is a third-class town located 120 kilometers from the regional center of Tacloban City.
Currently, the only way to reach the villages of Beto, Conception, and Caglasay is by sea, using small wooden boats known locally as “bote” through the Oras River.
With the construction of a paved road, these villages will not only gain easier access to the town center but also open up new economic opportunities.
“Our farmers can now use the road to transport their goods, and it will be easier for us to travel to the town center,” Roncales said.
He also expressed hope that his children, ages 12 and five, will be able to complete their education—an opportunity he missed out on due to poverty.
Mayor Roland Boie Evardone acknowledged that the lack of a concrete road has been a significant factor in the persistent poverty in these areas.
Many children in these barangays do not reach college, with only 48 percent of elementary graduates continuing to secondary education, and just 12 percent of those going on to college.
“We cannot entirely blame these people for not completing their education. The government also bears responsibility for not providing the necessary infrastructure, like a concrete road,” Mayor Evardone said.
Poverty incidence in the town of 20 barangays is pegged at 49.02 percent as of 2021, based on the record of the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Rep. Marcelino Libanan of the 4Ps party-list group, who initiated the road construction project, emphasized the importance of infrastructure in improving the lives of people in remote villages.
Connecting these isolated areas is one of his top priorities.
Libanan added that linking hard-to-reach villages will facilitate the delivery of basic services and allow residents to transport their farm produce to markets.
He vowed to continue efforts to connect remote villages to their respective town centers, hoping that this would lead to a better life for the residents.
“These are not just mere road opening but providing opportunities for our people, improved their lives aside from enjoying services from our government,” he Libanan, who serves as minority floor leader of the House of Representatives, said.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
