Mabolo Barangay Captain Niña Mabatid is said to enjoy political support from officials like Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol. CDN and Inquirer file photos
Several agricultural projects are lined up for Cebu City’s mountain barangays regardless of their political affiliation, the barangay captain designated as project coordinator for the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.
Mabolo Barangay Captain Niña Mabatid said she organized a dinner meeting between 17 of Cebu City’s mountain barangay captains and Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol last Wednesday for their project concerns.
But Mabatid said her lobbying for projects for Cebu City’s mountain barangays at the DA is not meant to draw support for her candidacy for the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) presidency since she is still undecided on her bid.
Mabatid said she personally requested Piñol to come to Cebu City and meet with the barangay officials.
The meeting was also attended by the DA’s top regional officials.
During the meeting, Mabatid said Piñol committed to fund a farm-to-market road project, farming equipment and one solar powered irrigation project to each of the 30 mountain barangays of Cebu City.
Mabatid said a one-kilometer farm-to-market road project worth P12 million will be implemented in each of the barangays within the year.
The farm-to-market road projects will cover 10 kilometers per barangay.
But Mabatid said they need to initially put up at least one kilometer so that a part of the project can be used immediately.
“I’m working on a resolution for this so the DA can conduct a survey in each area. I’m hoping that the survey will happen next week,” Mabatid told Cebu Daily News.
Mabatid said she has been tapped by Piñol to directly forward project requests of the barangays to the DA.
But Mabatid said the projects are open to any interested barangay official regardless of political affiliation.
Mabatid ran under the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) camp.
But she was advised by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to leave BO-PK amid reports that she plans to run for the ABC presidency.
Osmeña earlier identified Kasambagan Barangay Captain Franklyn Ong as the BO-PK’s bet for the ABC presidency.
Mabatid said her exit from the BO-PK didn’t mean she would jump ship to the opposition Barug Team Rama bloc.
If she decides to run Mabatid will square off against Ong and incumbent ABC President Phillip Zafra of Barug Team Rama.