Metamorphosis_Kalahi-CIDSS Compendium 2015

19
P aving
Dreams to Reality
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,” the great Chinese
philosopher Lao Tzu once said.
For the people of Nagcanasan, a landlocked barangay of Pilar town in Abra, each journey
to reach the town proper would seems like a thousand miles of grueling hike which takes
about three to four hours on an average day.
Mountain ranges and rivers have provided the people with bounty but have also become
natural barriers that sealed the area away from outside access and communication.
The only way in and out is through an unpaved rough road with no means of public
transportation throughout the year. An uneven dusty road welcomes first time visitors
during dry season which gets worse during the rainy season because a strong downpour
could easily washout the entire length of the road.
Imagine how severe it would be during typhoons and strong monsoons.
Every now and then, the residents, in the spirit of bayanihan, would pitch in time and effort
to fix the coarse road just to let in vehicles during necessities.
For the few hundred residents here, going to town meant braving the scorching sun during
dry days or risking heavy rains and strong winds, and occasional lighting and thunder
during the rainy season.
The hapless situation of Nagcanasan has left the residents voiceless and paralyzed on
development. The people feel helpless whenever accidents occur, when illnesses need
hospitalization, or when crimes happen because it is hard to reach the concerned agencies
or authorities.
Residents are left with no option but to carry their sick and walk through purgatory to gain
access to treatment. Farmers are often forced to sell their agricultural produce at lesser