“After the longest time, our prayers have been heard,” exclaimed by Christian Dave Talian, a member of the Talaandig Tribe in Sitio Kaulayanan, Barangay Lirongan, Talakag, Bukidnon. “The government and their assistance through the Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP) have finally reached our very remote sitio.”

   After completing the needed documentary requirements to proceed to the next phase of the implementation of the program and with the availability of the funds, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-10 along with LGU Talakag organized the Ceremonial Ground-breaking of the priority projects on September 2.

   The activity was attended by DILG 10 Regional Director Arnel M. Agabe, Bukidnon Provincial Police Office Director PCol Junmark Lagare, 403rd Brigade Commander BGen Ferdinand Barandon, 1^st District Congresswoman Maria Lourdes Acosta-Alba, Talakag Municipal Mayor Vergito O. Factura, the Punong Barangay of Lirongan and the SBDP barangay beneficiaries.

   The said activity was the first ground-breaking ceremony conducted for Region 10.

  The SBDP is an assistance initiated by the national government through the institutionalization of the Executive Order No. 70 or the Whole-of-Nation approach in ending local communist armed conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in the country.

(DILG 10/DILG Bukidnon/Maria Cecille V. Nagac & Daphne Kirstie B. Fabria) (Revised copy/DILG-10/Jia Artajo)