This post is a response to the course: Investing in Quality Infrastructure for a Green, Inclusive and Resilient Recovery provided by the World Bank Group through EdX.
My Hometown
In this paper, we chose our hometown located at 8.1855° N, 125.8540° E.
It is a landlocked municipality with few infrastructures. It was named after the hometown of a Spanish priest who spread Christianity in Loreto in the province of Agusan del Sur, Philippines.
Loreto was rich in culture, history, and biodiversity. Many lives were sustained with its natural resources, but one of the economic activities (logging) that boosted its economy depleted many of nature’s gifts including the forests. The number of fishes in the Umajam river and marshland in Panlabuhan (a part of the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary ) exponentially decreased because of siltation.
The Beginning of Infrastructure Development
The forested lands (timberlands) became rice fields, banana plantations, and farmlands. The photo below is a screenshot from Google Earth. It's how Loreto looked around 3 years ago.
Illegal logging was rampant years ago. Today, the government has become stricter by putting checkpoints in different barangays where chaos and logging are rampant, but many keep on doing this illegal activity.
When the Miss Earth International candidates visited the place, heavy rain poured. The Municipal Hall where the candidates stayed was flooded. That was when the current Municipal leaders urge to implement of green infrastructure projects.
Today, almost 100 trees are growing on the premises of the government center (where the Municipal Hall is located). More trees are planted as more infrastructures are built (including good drainage). When typhoon Rai hit Mindanao, heavy rain poured the whole day and strong winds blew in the Municipality. The communities in the Municipality were not greatly affected because the current leaders did their job and took initiative.
The current leaders of the municipality are aiming for green, resilient, and inclusive development. When the pandemic hit, backyard gardening was promoted, foods were distributed, farmers were heavily supported, and far-flung communities were reached.
Inclusive Development
Based on the 2018 CBMS
data, Barangay Kapda has the highest poverty incidence reaching around 86% of
the total barangay population. The pandemic surely worsened their situation, so
more support was provided to them by the current Municipal Administration
(shown in the photo below).
Infrastructure developments including farm-to-market road construction continued despite the threats from COVID-19. That put Loreto in 65th place out of 489 1st and 2nd class Municipalities in the local economic growth ranking (based on the 2020 data from the Department of Trade and Industry). That's an 85.45% growth compared to 2019 data.
Good Governance
The Municipality is envisioned to be an eco-friendly destination. More trees were planned to be planted and more green infrastructures are set to be built.
With the right governance, the Municipality and its people are recovering fast from the downturn caused by natural disasters.
We are building better because we have good leaders who are committed to providing the best for the people and are concerned with the environment. With help from local, national, and international organizations, we can achieve sustainability.
