Eastern-Northern Samar road project seen to ease insurgency problem

Heavy equipment of a road construction (File photo from Philippine Army’s 37th IB)

TACLOBAN CITY — The construction of a 1.3-kilometer road linking the town of Jipapad in Eastern Samar to Las Navas in Northern Samar is set to begin.

This project is being done in a bid to end the insurgency problem in both areas which are considered “hotbeds” of communist rebels.

The road is also seen to ease travel and help farmers transport their goods to neighboring localities.

These statements were made by Jipapad, Eastern Samar Mayor Benjamin Ver.

“We are optimistic with the construction of this road as it will not only help us economically but even see the total end of the insurgency problem,” he said in an interview on July 1.

The construction of the road linking the town of Jipapad to Las Navas has a project cost of P100 million.

The town of Jipapad is one of the poorest municipalities in Eastern Samar.

It is largely dependent on its P125 million tax allotment share from the national government as its annual income is only less than P1 million.

The town has more than 9,000 people residing in its 13 barangays, with copra and palay production as the main sources of their livelihood.

Last year, the headquarters of the 52nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army relocated from its previous base in Oras town, Eastern Samar to Jipapad where many rebels dwell.

“Our town has been a playground of the New People’s Army,” Ver said.

“But with the construction of this road, we are sure that this problem would eventually come to its end and usher us in the development that we have been aspiring for the last 60 years,” he noted.