Davao de Oro Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy lauded Tuesday the Barangay Development Program (BDP) projects in the province — particularly the farm-to-market roads — for raising the quality of life of people living in former conflict-affected areas.

In a statement, Uy said the 1.3-km road in Barangay Mainit in Nabunturan has become a boost to tourism in the area by providing better access to the Saw-saw Falls.

He said the project will also help farmers transport their high-value crops such as cacao, coffee, banana, and coconut to the market faster.

“It is a big help for us to attain peace, and we owe it to our stakeholders, especially the men in uniform,” the governor said.

Barangay Mainit village chief Mark Anthony Chan said the FMR project will also provide them easy road access in times of emergencies sans concerns on muddy and slippery passages.

He added that the project would also help the area be gradually identified as a new tourist destination in the province.

“We are very lucky, we are fortunate, it is a big help to our barangay. The residents now are productive in their farming endeavors,” Chan said.

A newly-built 1.2-km. farm-to-market road is also currently serving residents of Barangay Tagugpo of Pantukan town after it was turned over on June 11.

A hallmark program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), the BDP forms part of the government’s whole-of-nation approach to fight the communist insurgency.

The program aims to eradicate the root causes of the insurgency, poverty, disease, lack of education and opportunities, and social injustice in far-flung communities across the country identified to have been influenced by the communist armed rebellion. (PNA)