A LONG-delayed bridge project finally broke ground in the remote municipality of Pisomponga, Zamboanga del Sur to ultimately put closure to the local villagers’ persistent woes over in rugged terrain and seasonal flooding.
The P60-million project, funded under the national government’s PAMANA (PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn) Program, was announced just weeks after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. highlighted the need for immediate government action in his 2025 State of the Nation Address. The initiative gained national attention following viral images of schoolchildren wading through a waist-deep river to reach Pisompongan Integrated School.
“These images captured a painful reality: that most children in remote communities face danger and uncertainty just to get education,” said Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. during the ground-breaking ceremony.
For decades, residents of Pisompongan and neighboring barangays—Piwan, Balonai, Pili, and Dakayakan—risked their lives crossing rivers to access schools, markets, and health centers.
During the rainy season, swollen waters completely isolate these villages.
Nonetheless, the people showed extraordinary resilience. Teachers continued to hold classes, parents carried children across rivers, and farmers transported livestock and farm produce through the floods.
The bridge, once completed, aims to put an end to this dangerous routine.
The project is part of a broader effort by the government to rebuild conflict-affected communities. Midsalip, once plagued by communist insurgency, has seen progress through joint efforts by the Philippine Army’s 1st Infantry Division and 53rd Infantry Battalion, who have served as both security forces and development partners.
The OPAPRU is working closely with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Midsalip local government. Two additional bridges along the Midsalip-Bouan Road are also slated for construction in 2026.
Local leaders, including Gov. Divina Grace Yu, former Gov. Victor J. Yu, and 1st District Rep. Joseph Cabardo Yu, were lauded for their roles in spearheading the project.
“It is my earnest hope that through this project, the people will feel the presence of the government,” Galvez said.
The local government will oversee the bridge’s maintenance, with the community expected to help safeguard the structure—marking a shared commitment to sustaining the gains of peace and development.
