Tagbina inaugurates new drainage canal, pays tribute to community volunteers
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TAGBINA, Surigao del Sur (PIA) -- In a transformative milestone for Barangay Magsaysay, a landlocked town in Tagbina, Surigao del Sur, recently celebrated the inauguration of a new drainage canal, a project directly addressing years of flooding that disrupted the daily life and impacted local infrastructure.
Funded through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s program on Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), the P331,570 drainage canal is an example of how the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. empowers the communities to shape their own sustainable solutions.
The turnover ceremony, attended by Tagbina’s Mayor Glaiza Lanete, Sangguniang Bayan members, and representatives from the local government and the community, celebrated the project’s impact on flood management.
Mayor Lanete highlighted the journey from planning to project completion, saying, “Now, we’re celebrating a completed sub-project thanks to the unwavering support of our community volunteers.” She expressed deep gratitude for the volunteers’ commitment to community-driven development, reflecting the spirit of collaboration encouraged by the administration’s focus on local empowerment and resilience.
Community volunteers who had been instrumental in the project’s success were honored during the event. These volunteers exemplified the core of KALAHI-CIDSS’s community-driven development approach, taking full ownership of the project and demonstrating how local engagement leads to sustainable change. In a recognition ceremony themed "Pakiglambigit, Pakipaghiusa, Pasalamat (Collaboration, Unity, Gratitude),” community members came together to celebrate the volunteers’ contributions, which have already made a visible difference in Barangay Magsaysay.
Riza Lubrico, project preparation team chairperson and a longtime community volunteer, expressed her pride and commitment, sharing, “We, as volunteers, will never tire of working for our community. We can proudly tell our children that we were not just volunteers but part of projects that solved problems and benefited our people.”
The new drainage canal represented not only vital infrastructure but also a testament to the potential of community-driven initiatives, a focus underscored in PBBM’s national strategy to promote resilience, local growth, and sustainable solutions. Despite facing a population decline, from 1,168 residents in 1990 to 863 in 2020, Barangay Magsaysay showed how empowered communities can still achieve significant progress, proving that a united community can enact meaningful change that enriches lives and preserves resources for future generations.
Through initiatives like KALAHI-CIDSS, the DSWD supports President Marcos Jr.’s vision for grassroots empowerment, inspiring local leaders and citizens to contribute directly to developing sustainable solutions that improve quality of life. Barangay Magsaysay’s drainage canal is a powerful example of this commitment, showcasing how a dedicated community can become the foundation for a stronger, more resilient Philippines. (Photo courtesy of Special Program Division of LGU-Tagbina/NGPB, PIA-Surigao del Sur)
