Echague uplifts Community Well Being thru Infra Projects

Ceremonial ribbon cutting of the inaugurated FY 2022 SGLG-IF project (left) and groundbreaking ceremony of the proposed Municipal Freedom Park (right)

ECHAGUE, ISABELA – To tackle the persistent issue of flooding and enhance the convenience and comfort of residents in Barangay San Fabian, as well as students in nearby schools, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Echague allocated their FY 2022 Seal of Good Local Government Incentive Fund (SGLG-IF) for the construction of a drainage system.

The drainage system, inaugurated on March 5, 2024, is a fundamental step prioritized by the LGU in preparation for the construction of a municipal freedom park in the same area. Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) Isabela Chapter President, Ma. Kristina Jessica Gallegos-Dy, revealed this strategic decision during the Joint Inauguration and Turnover Ceremony of the FY 2022 SGLG-IF Project and the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the proposed Municipal Freedom Park.

LGU elective officials and functionaries and DILG officials and staff pose for a group photo where the FY 2022 SGLG-IF marker was built.

The joint ceremony was attended by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), led by Regional Director Agnes A. De Leon, OIC-Cluster Head Karla Bernadette M. Aldea-Rollan, representing Isabela Provincial Director Corazon D. Toribio, MLGOO Nestor D. Camacam, LGOO II Cielo Reyes-Madarang, and staff from the Regional and Provincial Project Development and Management Unit (PDMU) of Region 2 and Isabela. Local elective officials of LGU Echague, headed by Mayor Francis Faustino A. Dy, LGU functionaries, and San Fabian Punong Barangay and concurrent LnB Isabela Chapter President Ma. Kristina Jessica Gallegos-Dy, were also present, along with barangay elective officials and staff.

RD De Leon pledged her support to the LGU during the Joint Inauguration and Turnover Ceremony of the FY 2022 SGLG-IF Project and the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the proposed Municipal Freedom Park.

In her speech, RD De Leon reflected on the improvements she has witnessed in the municipality under the current administration during her return to the region. She also commended LnB Isabela Chapter Pres. Gallegos-Dy's vision and commitment to the betterment of Barangay San Fabian and Echague. RD De Leon pledged her support for the LGU's future development plans, emphasizing their dedication to maintaining momentum towards achieving the highly esteemed Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) for 2024. Furthermore, she underscored that beyond the incentive fund, the DILG uses the SGLG as a yardstick to measure LGUs' compliance with national directives and their effectiveness in delivering essential services to the public.

Mayor Dy informed the DILG that the LGU is committed to provide extra incentive funds for infrastructure projects to Echague barangays that will attain the SGLGB for 2024.

Mayor Dy expressed gratitude on behalf of the municipality to the DILG for its unwavering support to Echague, not only in assisting the LGU in achieving the SGLG but also for its overall commitment to effective local governance. He emphasized that attaining the SGLG is a testament to the efficient delivery of government services crucial to the constituents of Echague. Mayor Dy also informed RD De Leon that among the 64 barangays in Echague, one achieved the Seal of Good Local Governance for Barangay (SGLGB) in 2023. He challenged the newly elected and re-elected Punong Barangays of Echague to aim for the SGLGB in 2024, with the LGU providing additional incentive funds for infrastructure projects to motivate them in effectively governing their respective barangays.

In his address, Mayor Dy also revealed that the Provincial Government of Isabela would fund the construction of the proposed Municipal Freedom Park.

LnB Isabela Chapter Pres. Gallegos-Dy shared the LGU’s vision for the soon to be constructed Municipal Freedom Park.

LnB Isabela Chapter Pres. Gallegos-Dy shared that their vision to develop the area into a park dates back to 2016, outlining the future development plans that the LGU has for the vicinity. The envisioned municipal freedom park, as she described, aims to enhance the holistic wellbeing of its constituents. It will feature spaces for leisure and entertainment, a biking and running trail surrounded by trees, a library to promote knowledge enhancement, and a museum for the preservation of history and culture of Isabela. She urged the public to collaborate with the LGU in making this vision a reality by offering their help and support.

OIC-CH Aldrea-Rollan, who represented PD Toribio, conveyed her gratitude to LGU Echague during the activity.

In alignment with RD De Leon's message, OIC-CH Aldea-Rollan expressed gratitude to LGU Echague for believing in the SGLG, which symbolizes an ongoing commitment for LGUs to consistently progress and enhance performance across all governance areas.