QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya—A mining firm recently built a hanging bridge in Barangay Dumaliguia here to link villagers to better education and economic opportunities.
Peter Storey, FCF Minerals Corp. general manager for operations, said the hanging bridge was funded by their company and completed recently after the villagers requested it through the Community Development Program of the barangay local government unit.
“This project, which was funded through the 2016 CDP has been prioritized by the BLGU as one of the development projects needed by the villagers,” said Storey of FCF, which runs the Runruno gold mine here.
Rudy Andrada, a farmer, said the first hanging bridge built by the Earthquake Rehabilitation Program of the Caraballo Sierra Madre Cordillera Administrative Development was destroyed by the rampaging river waters during recent strong typhoons.
“We carry our children at risk whenever they cross the river daily, while we as farmers were hard up in transporting our products. Most of these are wasted during the occurrence of typhoons,” he said.
Andrada said the 85.9-meter hanging bridge will now give comfort, convenience, and a safer path among the 40 families who usually cross the river to conduct their regular livelihood.
The recipients are living within the Community-Based Forest Management area of the mining company and depend on vegetable and fruit production for their living.
“We are very grateful for the help of the FCF Minerals Corp. We hope that more roads and bridges will be built to improve our economic status,” he said.