“TO promote friendship and unity, let us build bridges, not walls,” thus declared Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary John R. Castriciones as he formally opened to traffic the P6.57-million Sapang Bato Bridge in Barangay Santa Ines Centro, Santa Ignacia, Tarlac.
The 34.2-linear meter bridge plays a vital role in uplifting the standards of living of farmer-beneficiaries in the province as it enables them to transport their harvests from their farms to the market with ease.
Constructed under the Tulay ng Pangulo para sa Kaunlarang Pang-agraryo (TPKP), a program that took off the ground in August 2017, the project was initially stalled for years.
So far, over 120 bridges have already been constructed all over the country, according to DAR Undersecretary for Foreign-Assisted and Special Project Bernie Cruz.
Among those who joined Castriciones during the inauguration of the Friendship and Unity Bridge was Santa Ignacia Mayor Nora Modomo.
More bridges to follow
During the event, Castriciones announced the P13-billion loan offered by the British government for the construction of more bridges under the same Tulay ng Pangulo program.
“We are very proud to have a project such as this for it helps enhance the economic life of our farmer-beneficiaries,” he said.
Tarlac Vice Gov. Carlito David, himself an agrarian reform beneficiary, said bridges are vital rural infrastructure project that helps to “bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.”
DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Emily Padilla aptly described the newly constructed bridge as “the starting point of a long journey towards progress and development.”
“This is the bridge that links us between where we are and where we are heading to,” Padilla explained.
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