 City Of Mati Celebrates Development With Luban Exposure
7/25/2012
by Neela G. Duallo

  City of Mati, Davao Oriental -- Determined to really uplift the delivery of services to the people of Mati and bring it even to the farthest barangays, Mayor Michelle Rabat made history when she initiated the Luban Exposure a celebration of development,&nbsp; not only for the people of Brgy. Luban, but also to the neighboring barangays, like Brgy. Lanca and Cabuaya, three of the farthest barangays in the City. But with the projects sprouting for them, they are not far from development this time, as the Luban Exposure brought various projects to the community, and it was the Mayor&rsquo;s most convenient time to be with her people, consult them, and hear from them. 
 
For the activities to start at 9:00 in the morning on June 26, 2012, the group started the travel early morning, all wrapped up with excitement for the people, as the Luban exposure would surely mean a twist of fate for the residents.  
 
Mayor Michelle Rabat brought with her the different department heads and persons concerned for the groundbreaking and launching of different projects.  
 
Topping the list was the groundbreaking of the Luban Satellite Office with City Planning and Dev&rsquo;t Officer Engr. Ariel Mosquera and Mr. Edgar Salanio, Head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office,&nbsp;&nbsp; (CDRRMC).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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Once operational, Mayor Michelle Rabat will designate employees to the satellite office, who will bring all the matters and concerns of the residents to her Office. 
 
There was also a groundbreaking to the Luban Housing and Resettlement Project, led by Mayor Michelle N. Rabat and City Housing Officer Ma. Eden Thelma Franco-Quinones. 
 
City Health Officer Dr. Benhur Onjie Catbagan led the community health team mobilization visit, and the distribution of initial medicines to the Botika ng Barangay- Health Center.&nbsp; The supplemental feeding visit and the re-opening of the day care center was led by Ms. Virginia Almaida, City Social Welfare and Dev&rsquo;t Officer.  
 
The barangay Multi-Purpose Pavement was opened, with Ms. Camilia Zafico, Kilos Barangay Program Coordinator.  
 
With the concerted efforts, particularly from the residents showing real concern to the marine life in the barangay and for its protection. 
 
After coming up with it&rsquo;s development plan, Barangay Luban finally came up with a marine protected area, which was also launched in the Luban Exposure, with City of Mati Environment&nbsp; and Natural Resources Officer Mr. Eddie Cobacha, and with Mr. Isidro Lagahit, Provincial Integrated Coastal Resource Management Program (ICRMP) Coordinator.  
 
The long wait was finally over for the residents of Barangay Luban, Lanca, and Cabuaya, and this could mean a dramatic change to their development efforts, with the launching and groundbreaking of the Luban and Lanca Water System, and the MACALULA (Brgy. Macambol-Cabuaya-Luban, and Lanca) Farm to Market Road.  
 
Earlier, Engr. Mosquera revealed that the MACALULA farm to market is already scheduled next year, but fortunately, it can be started earlier as the&nbsp; Mindanao Rural Development&nbsp; Program (MRDP) already asked for the necessary requirements for the said project. 
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As yet, the local government is doing the pre-requisites to the project, like consultations and complying the needed documents.  
 
For the MACALULA FMR, the MRDP is set to allocate 100 million pesos, while 10% of the project cost is the local government&rsquo;s counterpart to the project.  
 
In the afternoon, Engr. Ariel Mosquera led the project briefs and awards, both the MRDP and local government projects for the barangay.  
 
In his gratitude remarks, Mr. Gomersendo Aldino, Chair of the Luban Fisherfolks Association, was in grasp for words and emotional in expressing the gratitude of the residents for the Luban Exposure. Such was the first time, and the residents have proven the kind of service that the city government means for its people.  
 
Mayor Michelle&nbsp; Rabat also thanked the people for their presence, for their continued support, and assured the people that the city government is always there for them. Knowing how they dreamt of the Luban Exposure for so long, she appealed to the residents to make good use of the projects and make them instruments of their progress.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;