LANAO DEL SUR—As the Government of the Day intensifies its effort to improve public facilities in the region, the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) 2nd Engineering District of Lanao del Sur opened two bridges and three road networks on Monday, Oct. 25, in Bayang town of this province.
The project included road networks in the Barangays of Linuk-Maliwanag (Phase 1 and 2), Sultan Pandapatan to Cormatan (missing gap), and Rinabor. Meanwhile, the other two bridges were constructed in the Barangays of Gandamato and Biabi.
Bayang is a fifth-class municipality founded in 1963 and is strategically located within the vicinity of Lake Lanao with a land area of about 7,850 hectares.
The Municipality is also known for what locals coined as the “Battle of Bayang” which reflects how its Sultan and his people fought against American expeditionary forces in 1902—an event recognized by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) through BTA Bill number 40.
Town Mayor Aslani Pangarungan Balt shared that project implementation in the locality ran smoothly. He underscored that locals even donated the land traversed by some of the road networks.
“Kaya po nag prosper ang project natin dito sa Bayang ay dahil sa suporta ng ating mga kababayan. Makikita niyo po itong ating road network na sobrang lapad pa, iyong mga kababayan po natin ay hindi nagpabayad bagkus ay dinonate nila ito,” Balt said, referring to the four kilometer stretch road network in Barangays of Linuk-Maliwanag (Phase 1 and 2).
“More than 40 po ang may ari ng lupa at hindi po sila nagpabayad lahat kaya ako po ay nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng may-ari ng lupa dito,” he added.
Mayor Balt said there is legal compensation towards the owner of the properties in case the government project traversed a private property such as road right of way.
As one of the inherent powers of the state, it can utilize the private property for public use upon payment of just compensation which the landowners waived—an act of charity in Islamic beliefs where the donor receives continuous reward as long as the act of charity is benefited by the public.
In an update shared by MPW, 17 out of 19 projects for 2020 were completed while 30 out of 36 in 2021 were already implemented.
While the inauguration of the completed project entails success for everyone, District Engineer Maldamin Decampong said that the event holds a place in his heart.
“Not only I am the District Engineer but I am a native of this town, kaya napaka-smooth po ng ating project implementation dito,” Decampong said.
“On behalf of the good people of Bayang, speaking as a native of this place, we are extending our utmost gratitude to the Bangsamoro leadership for all the support and project extended to our town,” he added.
MPW officials present during the event included Chief Information Officer Engr. Abdul Khalic Ondi and Chief Construction Engr. Ahmad Lucman along with other key officials of the Ministry and the Local Government Unit of Bayang. (Abdullah Matucan/BIO)
