Lookback: When connecting the mountainous region of Boac to Torrijos towns began

Recent aerial view of Tumagabok. Mountain road going down.

Photo by Batutzkie Reynes

 

Construction of the road connecting the mountainous region of interior Boac to Torrijos.

"... under the Strong Infrastructure Program of President Arroyo, with no hullabaloo, the province of Marinduque did receive support for national road programs implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)," - Marinduque Rising blog, Central Marinduque Slowly but Surely Now, June 18, 2010

"This included the Balimbing-Bantay Road, the Poblacion Torrijos-Maranlig Road,

and the construction of Hinapulan-Tumagabok Bridge."

Then from another YouTube video dated June 21, 2010. Screenshots from Central Marinduque, future Garden City:

For road rehabilitation/construction on Boac Side, this DPWH sign reads (for Boac Side): Date started: October 16, 2008; Target Completion: July 23, 2009.

The construction of Hinapulan Bridge

And up to the concreting of Bantay Road. 

By 2012, this video showing college boys encouraged by the new infra development in this area led them to explore new sites.

The 'discovery" of Mabusay Falls (in Brgy. Mahinhin), happened when a group of college boys were encouraged to explore the area without having to travel for hours passing through the now concreted Bantay road that leads to Hinapulan-Tumagabok.

YouTube description:

"The lasting thrill of simple discoveries. A group of college dudes encouraged by recent concreting of roads in central Marinduque ventures to explore forests, waterfalls and caverns previously unknown to most islanders. With Azreil Oliveros, John Kenneth Lingcallo, Melvin Flores, Adrian Macapugay and Richard Nardo" -YouTube video Sept. 28, 2012.

Screenshots from the video, Mabusay Falls in Mahinhin, Boac, Marinduque (2012)

By 2019 we see road construction on the side of Tumagabok.

Following screenshots from a video by Batuzkie Reynes (Sept 2019)

Below: Ongoing construction of approx. 20 kilometer mountain road from Canat to Tumagabok. Screenshot from video by Nelson Nace (July 2020).

Also read:

In Marinduque: Yesterday's dreams and schemes, walk among the clouds, mountain roads and bridges

Cong. Velasco's barangay projects in Gasan

Gasan's ABC Hall

In the town of Gasan, Marinduque improvement of the Gasan ABC Hall through the construction of a third floor funded through Cong. Lord Allan Velasco’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), construction of Pinggan Covered Court, construction of a classroom in Banuyo Elementary School,  and various farm-to-market road concreting projects in identified barangays, have been undertaken by the DPWH from the same fund source. Improvement of barangay multi-purpose buildings are in various stages of implementation alongside installation of water supply systems.

Pinggan Covered Court
For the 1^st tranche of PDAF 2012, bids and awards have been concluded by end of July and beginning of this month of September 2012 by the DPWH. Some of these projects are farm-to-market roads in Gasan (Antipolo, Dili), Boac (Tampus, Bangbangalon, Buliasnin, Tugos, Maybo), Mogpog (Silangan, Mendez, Laon, Market-Site to Janagdong), Buenavista ( Daykitin, Bicas-Bicas), multi-purpose buildings in Boac (Cawit, Tabi, San Miguel), Gasan (Bangbang, Mahunig), Buenavista (Brgy. Cuatro, Tungib-Lipata, Brgy. Dos, Malbog) and Torrijos (Malibago).

Dawis Farm-to-Market Road

Watch the video below of Cong. Lord Allan Velasco's barangay projects in the town of Gasan implemented by the DPWH and Marelco (in the case of sitio electrification). The government's sitio electrification and barangay line enhancement program was made possible through the intercession of Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras and congressional legislators. Read

Gasan Barangay Projects of Cong. Lord Allan Velasco

Sta. Cruz Sports Complex rising

Sta. Cruz Mayor Percival P. Morales with Cong. Lord Allan Velasco.
Mayor Percy Morales of Sta. Cruz has long dreamed of building a sports complex  in his town as venue for continued sports training programs and for the holding of bigger sports tournaments and other events. He conveyed his idea to Cong. Velasco who immediately committed support for the construction of the said sports facility.

By October 2011, a ground-breaking ceremony was held, graced by Velasco, Morales and Party List Representative Mark Aeron A. Sambar of Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA), Velasco's colleague in Congress who was tapped for additional fund support.

Blueprint of the Sta. Cruz Sports Complex presented to Cong. Velasco.

A site owned by the Municipality of Sta. Cruz in Barangay Baliis was chosen  for the project, a move that excited officials and residents of the said barangay and nearby barangays who see the project as a new vehicle to boost tourism and economic development in their area. Velasco shown here during an earlier visit to the site.

Cong. Velasco and Cong. Sambar with Mayor Morales
during the ground-breaking ceremony in Oct. 2011.

The two congressmen have provided Php 5-million each from their respective Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) for the sports complex now on the rise.

Tubong ritual for Cong. Velasco in Brgy. Daig

A rousing tubong dance-ritual awaited Cong. Lord Allan Velasco during the recent launching of a farm-to-market road in barangay Daig in Boac.

Cong. Velasco accompanied by his staff are all smiles as flowers and coins are tossed, part of the tubong (also known as putong), by the barangay ladies. 

Barangay Daig local officials led by Brgy. Chairman Noel M. Naling with Velasco.

In the town of Boac, other similar farm-to-market road projects have been undertaken or are in various stages of implementation in barangays Agot, Agumaymayan, Bangbangalon, Bantay, Binunga, Buliasnin, Bunganay, Lupac, Mainit, Maligaya, Mansiwat, Maybo, Mercado, Ogbac, Pawa, Pili, Poras, Santol, Tagwak, Tambunan, Tampus and Tugos. Based on requests put forward by the individual barangays to the office of Cong. Velasco, other barangay projects for flood control, river bank revetment, waterworks, multi-purpose buildings and covered courts are undertaken by the DPWH Marinduque Office with funding from Velasco's PDAF and other sources. Electrification of remote Boac sitios that have never been energized have been completed or are in the works.  

Velasco's barangay projects in Buenavista

Sitio Biga in Tungib

Buenavista is one the most picturesque places in Marinduque, but considered the  poorest town compared to the other five municipalities here. Congressman Lord Allan Velasco has thus prioritized barangay requests therein for road projects, waterworks, improvement/construction of multi-purpose buildings, covered courts and electrification of many remote sitios.

With the operation there of the luxury resort Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa, with the concreting of the long road leading to the said resort a road that extends to Dampulan in the southeastern side of Marinduque (portions of which are still in various stages of completion), and with the new energy shown by the people of Buenavista to contribute to its development, the Buenavista situation is fast seeing a reversal.

This video shows Cong. Lord Allan Velasco's barangay projects in this town. 

Topsy-turvy 'out of time' huge loan desire

The Marinduque Capitol Building, circa 1928.

"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves, in the course of time, a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it." - Frédéric Bastiat (1801-1850)

In May 2012, for the proposed improvement of the road network infrastructure development project in the province of Marinduque, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), authorized Gov. Carmencita O. Reyes to negotiate a loan agreement with the DBP.

Two months later, in July 2012, the SP amended the said resolution to include the authority to negotiate not only with DBP but “with any government or private financial institution” not only for road network infrastructure development projects this time but also, for “other priority socio economic development programs”.

When word got out about these seemingly topsy-turvy operations, a group of concerned citizens found the proposed loan to be “counter-productive, unreasonable, unnecessary, and certainly out of time.” “The subject resolutions were not referred to the Provincial Development Council of Marinduque, the statutory body tasked to approve and endorse the annual investment plan of the province”, as stated in the petition for repeal of the resolutions, see yesterday's post.

On August 1, 2012, members of the SP requested for a meeting with certain key officials of the DOTC in Manila to provide funding assistance for the Marinduque Airport Runway Project, estimated to cost Php 90-million. After the meeting the SP passed Resolution No. 735 dated August 1, 2012 (same date), stating among others that “Whereas, the Body is likewise happy to know that the DOTC had already plans for the proposed extension and rehabilitation of the Marinduque Airport Runway...”

Two weeks later - just the other day, in fact, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan decided to further amend the second Resolution issued last July, this time authorizing the governor to negotiate a loan agreement not with DBP but solely with Philippine National Bank (PNB), in the amount of Php 150-million. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan specified this time that Php 100-million out of that loan is for the completion of the Marinduque Airport Runway and Php 50-million for farm-to-market roads.

Curiously, on or about the same time that this was going on, Governor Reyes went on radio to announce that she had already negotiated with PNB for a Php 300-million credit line in favor of the provincial government of Marinduque, with official notice already received, she said. Reyes said the loan will be used for farm-to-market roads, airport runway, construction of a sports complex and education (citing the need to continue her son's - former Cong. Edmund Reyes, Jr.'s scholarship program).

“Maikli na ang panahon mga anak, hindi natin maisusulong ang proyektong pangkaunlaran na tanging minimithi ng ating kalalawigan ng sabay-sabay kung tayo ay hindi uutang sa bangko…”, she said.

After a political career that spanned 41 years (from 1971 as Delegada to present), Reyes, based on her own foregoing statement, ("time is already short my children, we cannot push for development projects that are the only desire of our provincemates, all at the same time, if we will not obtain a loan from the bank..."), has really ran out of time, four decades apparently not being enough to push for Marinduque's development.

Marinduque Capitol building, born 1928, haunted by ghosts, and now 84 years old.

Velasco's Mogpog barangay projects

Improvement of Capayang Barangay Hall.

In Marinduque, while there exists some lack of understanding on the roles and functions of local leaders, particularly in the barangay level, the basics of barangay governance, development planning and community mobilization continue to be imparted by the DILG, as one of its functions, through seminars. It appears that some such leaders still wrongfully look at themselves as mere tools and lackeys of traditional politicians, first and foremost, and only secondarily as public servants. 

Balanacan farm-to-market road.
Nonetheless, the continuous basic education of local barangay leaders in good governance have also injected new energy into the barangay system. In the island of Marinduque, many such barangays have learned to take it upon themselves to set their own priorities, strengthen partnership with other entities such as the Office of Cong. Lord Allan Velasco whose district offices are in Boac and in Sta. Cruz, for implementation of their proposed barangay projects.

Bry. Nangka I flood control.

In the municipality of Mogpog whose town leader, Mayor Senen Livelo undertakes similar partnerships with barangay in other areas of cooperation such as health, agriculture, livelihood, cultural and civic activities, among others. In the area of road infrastructure, multi-purpose buildings, flood control/river revetment and installation of waterworks system, initiatives are undertaken by the barangays, who forward for action the appropriate resolutions to the Office of Cong. Velasco.

Cong. Lord Allan Velasco's PDF.
As of July 2012, barangay projects that have been undertaken in the town of Mogpog are seen in this video. Projects have either been completed or are in the various stages of implementation chiefly within the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and funded through Velasco’s PDAF and other official sources tapped by him.

Cong. Velasco's Mogpog Barangay Projects

Marinduque flood control/revetment projects under Cong. Velasco

Repair and maintenance of some 31 flood control and revetment projects in the island-province of Marinduque have been undertaken by the DPWH from funds sourced by Congressman Velasco. Main function of such revetments is to protect the collapse of riverbanks due to erosion, scouring or riverbed degradation. Some of these projects are shown in these photos.

Children swim near Malusak (Mogpog) Revetment project.

The flood control /revetment project in Libtangin (Gasan)

Duyay (Boac) Revetment undertaken by DPWH.

Kasay Revetment (near Boton-Balimbing (Boac) border).

Tigwi (Torrijos) Revetment

Bantay (Interior Boac) Revetment.

Sumangga (Mogpog) Revetment

Capayang (Mogpog) Revetment

Bagtingon (Buenavista) Revetment

Cabuyo (Torrijos) Revetment

Tigwi (Torrijos) Revetment

Pag-asa (Sta. Cruz) riverbank for diking.

Aturan (Sta. Cruz) Revetment

Bagong Silang (Sta. Cruz) area for diking.

Landy (Sta. Cruz) Revetment


Listing of current flood control, river control and revetment projects in Marinduque amounting to Php 18.4-million: For MOGPOG: Malusak, Sumangga, Bocboc, Bintakay, Butansapa, Capayang and Banto. For GASAN: Libtangin, Dawis, Cawit-Bahi. For BOAC: Bantay, Amoingon, Duyay, Kasay Section Boton and Sitio Paye Balimbing. For TORRIJOS: Matuyatuya, Cabuyo and Tigwi. For STA. CRUZ: Bitik-Lapulapu, Pag-asa, Aturan, Landy, Bagong Silang, Tigwi. For BUENAVISTA: Bagtingon and Sihi.

DPWH MPB's in Mogpog with funds sourced from Velasco's PDAF.

Sign still tucked in a tree in Mogpog.

Requests for the construction, improvement or repairs of multi-purpose buildings such as barangay halls, in some cases serving as day care centers, are undertaken by Sangguniang Barangays and passed on to government agencies such as the Office of Congressman Lord Allan Velasco that, in turn, provide the necessary funds sourced from the Priority Development Assistance Fund of Velasco, or from other sources such as PDAF of senators or other congressmen if available.

Construction, improvement or repairs of such buildings are undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). 

Another MBP (Barangay Hall) in Brgy. Mangyan Mababad, Mogpog.

Facade and interior of MPB in Brgy. Danao, Mogpog

Brgy. Hinanggayon Captain shows construction of MPB in his barangay in Mogpog town.

Brgy. Captain of Silangan (Mogpog) has spearheaded the construction of a MPB in his barangay.

Ongoing construction of multi-purpose building in Brgy. Banto (Mogpog).

Facade of Anapog-Sibucao Barangay Hall.

Interior of Brgy. Hall in Lamesa.

MPB of the Mogpog Police Community Precint II in Brgy. Poblacion, Mogpog.

Brgy. Hall and Day Care Center in Brgy. Paye (Mogpog) with funds sourced by Cong. Velasco from the PDAF of Sen. Miguel Zubiri.

Ongoing improvement of Brgy. Hall in Banto (Mogpog)

MPB in Brgy. Tarug, Mogpog, site of the popular Tarug Caves. Building constructed by DPWH.

Other MPB's in Mogpog that are in various stages of construction or repairs are in Brgy. Hinadharan, Argao and Nangka-Uno.

MPB construction in Brgy. Lamesa.