New town proposed to boost self-reliance in Kalinga’s remote areas

TUGUEGARAO, Philippines – Kalinga province will have a new town if a provincial board resolution to create an additional one in this landlocked northern province gains support in Congress. Board Member Fernando Abay, resolution sponsor, said that the idea to establish one more town came after the provincial board and other provincial officials reviewed the recurring problem of access to basic services by several remote villages. The remote villages are part of the towns of Pinukpuk and Balbalan in Kalinga and of Conner town in neighboring Apayao province. "The affected villages are so remote from their respective town proper that we find it more practical for them to be combined together and form another municipality," said Abay. "If this plan pushes through, it will enable the residents to manage their own affairs, especially the delivery of basic services which they can administer themselves," he added. Pinukpuk and Balbalan towns have expressed support for the proposal, while negotiations with officials of Conner in Apayao are now ongoing. Abay also disclosed that the combined agricultural area of the barangays that will be part of the new municipality is even bigger than some towns in Kalinga. The resolution calling for the creation of another town in Kalinga, which will be named Caloan, was passed by the provincial board on Wednesday and is expected to be filed in Congress soon with the help of Kalinga Rep. Manuel Agyao (Kampi, lone district). The proposed Caloan town will raise to eight the number of towns in Kalinga, with Tabuk as the capital. Kalinga and Apayao used to be a single province until 2001, when they were split to better service the needs of individual tribes in the provinces. – GMANews.TV