Where the mud ended, hope began, Colosboa’s journey from isolation to opportunity now has a road to match.
NUEVA ECIJA — Inspired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s directive and bolstered by the full support of his administration, this road in Barangay Colosboa is more than just an infrastructure project.
It represents a concrete step towards ending the decades-long communist insurgency that has pushed back the development of this municipality and opened windows of opportunity for its residents.
For many years, the people of this Barangay lived in the margins, cut off by impassable, flood-prone roads that turned daily life into a test of endurance. Farmers hauled their produce through mud.
Children walked to school along trails that disappear during strong rains. Basic services barely reached the community. Conflict lingered. Development stalled.
Today, the mud is gone. In its place is a road that not only connects people and barangays, but gives recognition to those who did not lose hope and forged ahead.
Fulfilling a long-standing promise of inclusive growth, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) formally turned over here a two-kilometer farm-to-market road (FMR) amounting to 20 million pesos in Barangay Colosboa, Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija, under PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) Program.
“None of these hard-won gains would have been possible without the clear marching orders of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the unwavering support of his administration to OPAPRU’s PAMANA program,” said Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. during the turn-over ceremony.
The PAMANA Program is the Philippine government’s peace and development convergence framework for conflict-affected communities that have remained in the fringes of development due to lack of critical infrastructure.
Barangay Colosboa was once a rebel stronghold where progress halted and families were left behind. Today, it stands as a testament to the people’s resilience to forge ahead and build a better future.
“Napakalaking bagay na meron po tayong ganitong proyekto. Noong araw pa hinihiling ito ng mga taga-rito, lalo na sa Purok Dumali. Pag umulan, puro putik–hirap na hirap po sila. Kahit may sasakyan, madulas pa rin. Kaya malaking tulong talaga ito sa mga tao dito,” said Cuyapo Mayor Florida P. Esteban, who also urged residents to care for the project and sustain its gains.
“Sana tuloy-tuloy ang turismo at development sa bayan ng Cuyapo. Kung anuman ang meron tayo ngayon, atin pong alagaan. Pasalamat tayo sa Panginoon dahil may mga tao na gumaganap para maisakatuparan ang development dito,” she added, as she transitions to her new role as Vice Mayor and head of municipal council.
This road was also built in honor of the Filipino farmer who has often been overlooked. It is their hands that till the soil, which produces the food that sustains the nation. To build a road is a recognition of their key role in society.
Every kilometer laid is a commitment that those who feed the country and who deserve to live safely, move freely, and be treated with dignity.
“Tatlong dekada po kaming naglakad sa putik. Ngayon lang po talaga namin naramdaman ang ginhawa, salamat sa pamahalaan,” said Jackilyn Tubio, a solo parent and lifelong resident. “Ngayon, may tricycle na. Ligtas na sa pag-uwi ang anak ko.”
“Dati, binibitbit namin ang gulay hanggang kurbada dahil sa hirap ng daan. Ngayon, kahit madaling araw, pwede nang bumiyahe,” shared Diosdado Damaso, Barangay Captain of Colosboa.
Damaso expressed gratitude for the inclusion of a sustainable livelihood program that will support local farmers through a four-year agricultural development initiative, which including upland crop planting and the establishment of a farmers’ cooperative as a people’s organization.
The road was built using a climate-resilient design and shaped by environmental and social safeguards through local consultation and grassroots coordination. Around 70 families directly benefitted from the project, many of whom are members of barangay-based irrigation and farming associations.
OPAPRU confirmed that this project marks only Phase 1 of the broader intervention. Phase 2, which shall expand the FMR and other livelihood programs in Cuyapo, is underway to sustain the gains of the earlier phase.
“With every new road constructed, locality connected, and community uplifted, we move one step closer to our collective vision of a just and lasting peace for all Filipinos,” Galvez emphasized. “This is the true promise of PAMANA, a legacy of hope and progress.”
The turnover was attended by Mayor Esteban, who was honored for her nine years of public service as mayor were praised by both residents and national officials. She pledged continued support for the community’s development, particularly the sustainability of livelihood projects and the integration of infrastructure facilities.
The presence of the 703rd Brigade of the Philippine Army and local officials likewise underscored the security and development partnership behind this effort.
“When the road begins, insurgency ends. When the road ends, insurgency begins…” Galvez emphasized , a statement echoed throughout the ceremony as a reminder of the enduring link between infrastructure and peace.
Colosboa is turning a page in its history – from exclusion to empowerment, from silence to testimony, from conflict to concrete peace. For its residents, the path forward is no longer muddy, as it is now paved with purpose.###
