Students in Barangay Salaan, Mangaldan, Pangasinan may soon walk to school without struggling through mud.

Three grandchildren of Emily Soriano attend Salaan Elementary School and walk daily from their home in Riverside. But during the rainy season, the unpaved road turns muddy and slippery, making the trip difficult and dangerous.

“Sobrang hirap talaga. May daan dito pero sobrang sikip kaya diyan talaga kami dadaan. ‘Yung mga apo ko minsan nadudulas. Ang ginagawa nila, nilalagyan ng plastic ang sapatos o slipper bago dumaan diyan,” Soriano said.

Barangay officials were aware of the long-standing problem and started a road concreting project as soon as they secured funds.

“Kung tag-ulan, talagang maputik diyan [ng] sobra. Kawawa talaga mga bata,” Barangay Chairman Eduardo Abrogar said.

The project was able to get a budget of P15 million from the national government.

Crews are working to complete the new concrete road before the opening of classes on June 16. The road was also elevated to help prevent future flooding.

Once finished, students from Riverside will no longer need to wrap their footwear in plastic just to get to school safely and mud-free.