MALLIG, ISABELA — The Municipality of Mallig inaugurated its newly completed Level III Water Supply System on June 3, 2025, in Barangay Manano. The project was funded under the FY 2024 Support and Assistance Fund to Participatory Budgeting (SAFPB), a program that fosters inclusive and participatory local governance.
The inauguration ceremony was graced by DILG Region 2 Regional Director Agnes A. De Leon, DILG Isabela Provincial Director Corazon D. Toribio, Cluster Head Karla Bernadette M. Aldea-Rollan, MLGOO Alma M. Grande, and representatives from the Regional and Provincial Project Development and Management Unit (PDMU).
Local officials led by Mayor Jose Philip F. Calderon, Vice Mayor Deo Angelo F. Elefante, members of the Sangguniang Bayan, Barangay Manano officials, and other stakeholders also joined the celebration.
In her message, RD De Leon shared a personal story about her childhood experience of fetching water by the pail to the residents of Sitio Villa Corazon in Barangay Manano, one of the direct beneficiaries of the project. She emphasized the life-changing impact of this initiative, noting that access to clean water remains a basic yet essential need. She also reiterated President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s vision of providing every Filipino with a life that is strongly rooted, comfortable, and secure.
PD Toribio praised the Municipality of Mallig for being among the 75 SAFPB beneficiaries nationwide—and notably, the first in Region 2 to complete its project. She commended the LGU for complying with the requirement to formulate a Municipal Water Supply and Sanitation Master Plan (MWSSMP), a key prerequisite to accessing SAFPB funds. She also challenged the LGU to ensure the project's sustainability for the long-term benefit of its constituents.
In his speech, Mayor Calderon highlighted the scarcity of water in Mallig and recounted the collective efforts of local officials that led to the approval and successful implementation of the project. He expressed gratitude to the DILG and all stakeholders who made the project possible.
The SAFPB is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at strengthening the collaboration between local government units (LGUs) and civil society organizations (CSOs). For FY 2024, it supports projects such as the construction, expansion, and rehabilitation of Level III water supply systems, as well as the improvement of sanitary toilets and hygiene facilities in public areas.
Mallig is one of the pioneering recipients of SAFPB in Region 2, alongside four other municipalities: Iguig, Santa Teresita, Santa Maria, and Ambaguio. Each beneficiary received ₱13,333,334.00 to implement projects focusing on water supply systems or sanitation and hygiene improvements.
Aside from the completed SAFPB project, the LGU also conducted a turnover ceremony for its FY 2024 Seal of Good Local Governance Incentive Fund (SGLGIF) project, which is the purchase of a patrol vehicle for the Mallig Police Station and Mallig Fire Station.
PEO II Louella Marie T. Pader
