Farmers rejoice over Kitubo-Pagan-White Kulaman farm to market road

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CAGAYAN de Oro City--Residents of Pagan, Kitaotao in Bukidnon describes the 7.10 kilometers concreted Farm to Market Road (FMR) of Kitubo-Pagan-White Kulaman Road a dream come true.

Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) through its Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project (ARISP) III implemented this FMR funded by the Government of Japan through the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), with a total contract cost of P41,290,522.06. 

“Tinood na? Sali man lang na sila og survey. Dili na ko mutoo na mapadayun ang proyekto, imposible na kaayo” (Is that true? They always conduct surveys. I doubt that the project will push through, it’s very impossible), said Emmie Bulanon, a resident in Pagan for 39 years. 

Tatay Emmie is an agrarian reform beneficiary. His wife, Jovelyn Basalo Bulanon and three daughters who are presently in high school and grade school - Mary Grace, Mary Ann and Maria Tiffany help him in tilling their three hectares of corn farmland.

He is currently a Barangay Kagawad who advocates on agriculture and environmental protection.

Tatay  Emmie recalled the hardships his family endured especially in transporting their crops to the market.

He said that horses were their only means of transportation. The road was in poor condition, unpaved, rutted dirt, and muddy. It was a long and gruelling five hours travel from small farming villages in Pagan to Kitubo market which most of the time spoiled and damaged their produce and cannot be sold anymore.  

Besides, the crops were expensive due to high transportation costs.  Out of sheer hopelessness, it even got to the point when Tatay Emmie wanted to end farming but his economic situation won’t allow him because it was his only means of earning a living.

A new road completely changed the situation. Tatay Emmie and the rest of dwellers in Kitubo, Pagan and White Kulaman cannot imagine how life has transformed after the realization of the project.

According to  Adelina  Gulben, Vice-Chairman of Kitubo  Multi Purpose Cooperative, this was the first time they felt a genuine help from government whom they thought ignored them.

Eventually, more children are now eager to go to school. Peace and order conditions have improved. Government interventions smoothly came. Products are now easily transported to the central market in Kitubo, Kitaotao as motorcycles, multicabs, haulers were plying between the barangay and town proper. The long trip to the market was dramatically reduced into 15 minutes. The FMR also opened the road to Cotabato. Thus, paving the way for a favorable economic and social impact not just to farmers but to the community as well.

When asked about his present income, Tatay Emmie proudly replied that he now earns P100,000.00 per quarter, doubled, even tripled compared to the previous years.  He was able to buy two motorcycles and a one hectare farmlot planted with rubber and coconut trees. 

His family always live a simple life, sending his children to school despite difficulties to finish their studies and will land a job. “I will continue to do my best and work harder for my family.  Now is different from then. They entrusted this  project to make life easier for us and in return,  we promised  to take care of it.  We will forever be grateful to DAR and to the local government”, he finally enthused.

This is success for one Emmie Bulanon. A new road meant new beginnings for a much better and successful life. (Marivel  P. Lustre/DAR10)