DUPAX DEL SUR, Nueva Vizcaya—When a group of Japanese exchange students were stranded by a swelling river in barangay Carolotan here in 2013, it sparked their initiative to propose the construction of a bridge upon their return.
Though they did not personally return, the Japanese government heeded their plea to fund the construction of a bridge to address the perennial problem of the villagers, mostly indigenous people, farmers and school-goers, including other residents of nearby barangays.
Now, the bridge has been fully constructed, hastening economic development in the municipality.
“We owe this laudable project to our international exchange students, who made strong recommendations upon their return in Japan,” said Yoshinori Fukubayashi, representative of Japan’s Community Road Empowerment, a Japan-based non-government organization that facilitated the bridge project.
CORE provides funding assistance in various countries in a bid to empower the youth through the building of roads and bridges.
The P1.4-million project, also named the Japan-Philippines Friendship Bridge for the Community of Carolotan, was funded by Japan International Cooperation Fund in collaboration with Global Link Management Institute and the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement.
The provincial government of Nueva Vizcaya, municipal government of Dupax del Sur, and the barangay local government unit of Carolotan also served as partners that provided manpower and heavy equipment needed during the bridge’s construction stage.
This also opened an employment for villagers of Carolotan and nearby barangays.
Dupax del Sur Mayor Ruben Basconcillo praised the construction of the bridge, not only for the savings it brought to the LGU but because of its sentimental value between the municipality and Japan.
“We are very grateful for their help in building this bridge. Without them, we could hardly build a bridge such as this,” he said.
Basconcillo said the completion of the JPBCC will further develop and improve the economy of their municipality, as it will speed up the agricultural mobility of upland farmers, draw the entry of investors and provision of more projects in the upland villages, especially health services, among others.
The provincial government also allocated at least P1.5 million this year for the concreting of the bridge’s both approaches and a portion of the Carolotan road in Dupax del Sur town.
Another bridge in nearby barangay Canabay will also be funded with P1.2 million sourced by the provincial government and the municipal government of Dupax del Sur.
“We are expecting that more projects will be built in our town in collaboration and partnership with Japan and our provincial government. Truly, this bridge is a blessing from our friends from Japan,” Basconcillo said.