The once isolated, hinterland sub-village of Sitio Calinawan, Barangay Taocanga, in the municipality of Manay is now accessible via land transportation as the government recently initiated roadworks on the 10-kilometer road from Sitio Tiombocan, Barangay Marayag, Lupon going to the community.

The roadworks includes road clearing and graveling, making travelling easier for residents, especially for farmers transporting their produce down to the market. Now, villagers say that the new road has significantly cut their travel time and is really a big help in easing transportation.

The road clearing and graveling project is an immediate intervention of the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental following the workshop and dialogue conducted by the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) in the community in August wherein government agencies had traveled to this hinterland sitio aboard a military helicopter just to reach the community which is cut off from the barangay proper due to poor road condition.

The said activity is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order 70 or the Whole-of-Nation Approach to Attain Sustainable Peace and End Insurgency wherein national government agencies and provincial government departments hear out the concerns of the residents.

In Sitio Calinawan, a decent road was first on the list of needs assessment as the hinterland village is perched on a mountain surrounded by forests and mountain ranges. The said project was implemented by the Provincial Engineer’s Office amounting to P398,752 which include fuel and lubricants, local road fee, and labor cost. Photos Courtesy of Provincial Engineer’s Office