P173-M infra projects in Cotabato barangays up

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — The Cotabato provincial government has enlisted the support of the local communities in monitoring 24 new infrastructure projects, costing P173 million, in different barangays intended to boost the investment potentials of the province.

Radio reports here on Sunday stated that the projects include the construction of anti-flood concrete box culverts, overflow river bridges, concreting of farm-to-market roads, two-storey multi-purpose buildings and barangay halls in remote areas in the 17 towns in Cotabato, a component province of Region 12.

The projects are bankrolled with allocations from the Economic Development Fund and the 2024 Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund of the office of Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño Mendoza, who is presiding chairperson of the multi-sector, inter-agency Regional Development Council 12.

Some of the projects shall benefit residents of the 63 Bangsamoro barangays in different towns in Cotabato, where there are members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front now thriving peacefully as farmers, earning extra income from fishing in the vast Liguasan Delta.

“We shall guard the projects in some Cotabato municipalities that are in areas covered by our units,” Major Gen. Alex Rillera, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said on Sunday.

Rillera said the new infrastructure projects of the Cotabato provincial government, particularly the concreting of barangay roads, will improve the connectivity to municipal trading centers of former Moro rebels in fronts that have forged peace pacts with Malacañang and erstwhile members of the outlawed Dawlah Islamiya and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters who have returned to the fold of law.

Up to 298 members of the Dawlah Islamiya and the BIFF in different towns in Cotabato alone had surrendered in batches in 2023, reintegrated into the local communities through the efforts of Mendoza’s office, the mayors in the province, units of 6th ID and the Police Regional Office-12 under Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg.