IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines โ Governor Darel Dexter T. Uy handed over 13 brand-new rescue vehicles to barangays in Kalawit, Zamboanga del Norte on Wednesday, but one community quietly said no โ it opted for a box culvert instead.
Barangay Poblacion already operated a working rescue vehicle. Instead of accepting another, its leaders asked for something different: a single-barrel box culvert at Sitio Maguboc to improve drainage and local roads. A groundbreaking ceremony replaced what would have been another addition to the fleet.
The unusual choice of a box culvert became the quiet centerpiece of the dayโs event, drawing explicit praise from Governor Uy as an example of pragmatic, needs-based governance in a province where resources are precious and priorities vary sharply from one village to the next.
โEmergency response isnโt measured in hours โ itโs a matter of minutes,โ Governor Uy said during the turnover at the Kalawit Municipal Gymnasium, attended by Mayor Arcel Antojado, Vice Mayor Rey Y. Bihag and Association of Barangay Captains President Anthony Molina. The 13 vehicles, he noted, will slash response times to three to five minutes and meet Department of the Interior and Local Government standards.
But the governor reserved his strongest commendation for the barangay that opted out. By forgoing a redundant vehicle in favor of a box culvert, Poblacion demonstrated the kind of community discernment he hopes to see more of across Zamboanga del Norte.
โThis is exactly the kind of mindset we need,โ Uy said, linking the decision to a larger philosophy of making aid count. He connected it to incoming support that includes a โฑ200,000 national subsidy from President Ferdinand โBongbongโ Marcos Jr. for barangay scholarships and localized projects.
The governor described how the episode illustrated a deeper point: funding and equipment alone are insufficient without coordination and honesty about actual needs. He criticized past instances of agencies working in silos, citing data mismatches that breed confusion and inefficiency.
โWe must coordinate,โ the governor urged. โTransparency means everyone knows whatโs happening so no one complains.โ
The emphasis on practical choices comes as Kalawit and the broader province seek to unlock potential in tourism and agriculture. Reliable roads and drainage matter as much as rescue vehicles in building resilience, Uy argued, calling on leaders to prioritize public service over self-interest or ceremonial distributions.
โMay future generations look back and say this was the generation that chose unity over division, service over self-interest, and vision over complacency,โ he said. โThis is the generation laying the foundation for a stronger Kalawit and a more prosperous Zamboanga del Norte.โ
Poblacionโs trade-off stood out as a small but telling rebuke to one-size-fits-all approaches. While the new vehicles will strengthen emergency response across 13 barangays, the box culvert may prove equally vital โ a modest concrete channel that, in the governorโs view, reflects clearer thinking about what this particular corner of the province actually needs next.
About The Author
