To hasten development and fight insurgency through infrastructure projects in remote areas, the Cagayan provincial government turned over 29 pieces of heavy equipment worth PHP108 million to 29 local government units (LGUs).

The heavy equipment consisting of 28 graders worth PHP3.868 million each and one bulldozer worth PHP4.968 million, were formally accepted by 28 town mayors and one city mayor during the awarding rites held at the Capitol Complex in Alimannao village here.

The local leaders signed a memorandum of agreement in accepting the grant under the “No Barangay Left Behind” of Governor Manuel Mamba and the mayors.

Mamba said under the agreement, the heavy equipment are entrusted in the town and city mayors, to be “under their care and leadership, but these will be used for the repair of farm-to-market roads in the villages”.

“We strongly believe that the continuous rehabilitation and construction of road networks through these graders and a bulldozer, these will hasten the service of the provincial government to the public and lessen the problem of insurgency,” said Mamba, who is also the Regional Peace and Order Council chairperson.

“We were able to save PHP55 million out of the PHP5 million each allotted budget for each heavy equipment. Hence, we can use the saved fund to buy other vehicles like police cars,” he said. (PNA)