LUBUAGAN, Kalinga, Tuesday  Mar 15 – This town got aid package from its sister city, Makati, during the Laga Festival that marked this town’s fiesta last March 12.

 Ready for pick-up in Makati are one unit multi-cab jeepney,computer sets, and assorted medical supplies, announced Henry Caunan, who represented Vice President Jejomar Binay during the opening program.

 He explained that Binay could not make it to the affair because he was on an official foreign trip, although he wanted very much to.

 Reading the written message of Binay, Caunan stressed to the people of Lubuagan about Makati’s strong partnership with Lubuagan and vowed to stay beside the people and the place in all its endeavors.

 "Makati will be true as a sister city of your town, as it renews its vow during this celebration of your town’s Laga Festival," Caunan said.

 Being a partner who is just a call away, Makati stands available to stress calls of Lubuagan any time of the day, Caunan vowed.

 Meanwhile, Lubuagan Mayor Johnny Dickpus, in his keynote address, reckoned on the lessons of General Emilio Aguinaldo’s setting foot in Lubuagan saying, "let us apply that same determination to push our town forward."

 "Let us enliven that heroic Filipino spirit to hurdle obstacles and move our municipality through the development of our local industry," Dickpus stressed.

Governor Jocel C. Baac, who led provincial officials to the affair, stressed that development for Lubuagan does not only mean provision of infrastructure facilities but more of a wholesome need.

Baac noted there is a need to address other components of the community, about its people, history and values, urging them to look back to the time when Lubuagan was once the center of trade and development of Kalinga in the 60s.

Congressman Manuel Agyao, who hails from the place, rallied his townmates to keep to the vision of their ancestors who started the labor to establish honor for the municipality.

 "As your congressman, I vow to continue delivering what our province needs, as well as giving emphasis to our municipality. I have aligned priority projects like irrigation facilities to water upland rice lands here to improve agricultural production among our people."

 The facility would encourage upland farmers to open idle land portions to agricultural activities aimed at providing additional income for families, Agyao said.*( PIA-CAR/Kalinga)