15 remote barangays in Batac served by Manang Imee’s CapEx

Hundreds of villagers in the eastern and southern barangays of Batac City, Ilocos Norte have expressed gratitude to Governor Imee Marcos when the Manang Imee’s Capitol Express team resumed activities on July 24, 2014 to deliver the different front-line services to this city.

But unlike the previous visits of the team to the city proper, Capitol Express (CapEx) went to Batac National High School-Payao Campus to serve more people in the remote areas.

Barangays served include Quiom, Maipalig, Payao, Sumader, Mabaleng, Palpalicong, Parangopong, Naguirangan, Quiling Sur, San Mateo, San Pedro, Capacuan, Valdez, Barani and Magnuang.

Governor Marcos said the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Office continued to improve the program to cater to more Ilocanos especially in the far-flung areas in the province.

“Nagbabago rin ang project, nagsimula na noon na unti-unti may ibang barangay iclu-cluster. Ngayon mukhang kailangang i-cluster na lalung-lalo na sa mga malalaking lugar like Batac City and Laoag City,” Gov. Marcos said.

“Yung ill-served na medyo remote barangays mas kailangan nila ‘yung CapEx, (kasi) mas hassle sa kanila (ang) pumunta sa bayan,” she added.
Gov. Imee led the distribution of fertilizers, pesticides, food packs, fruit-bearing seedlings and Philhealth cards to Bataquenos, simultaneous with the delivery of frontline services such as jobs and livelihood, tulong (services) and documentation.

Virginia Fermin of Brgy. Colo thanked the Gov. Imee for the comeback of CapEx, one of the biggest programs by the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte which helped a lot of Ilocanos.

“Agyamanak unay ken ni Gob. Imee ta kanayonna nga ikalkalikagum ti pagsayaatanmi,” Fermin said.

A first time recipient of free fertilizer supply, Robert Arcangel said
“Nagsayaat a tulong ni Gob. Imee kadakami daytoy. Sapay koma ta agtultuloy latta ti panangtultulongna kadakami a mannalon,” Arcangel said.

Gov. Marcos said the team is also consulting and listening to the recipients about their priorities and concerns to “better serve the people.”

For almost three months, Manang Imee’s Capitol Express temporarily halted to give way to the other major activities of PGIN. However, MDG Office head Edwin Cariño said MDG utilized the lull to examine and validate the previous requests obtained during the team’s visit to the different towns in the province.

Gov. Marcos further said that the program will be held regularly to continuously bring the various services and further identify the needs of her constituents in the province.—Jennifer T. Pambid/PGIN-CMO