CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar — President Arroyo, in her recent visit to the remote and poor municipality of San Jose de Buan, Samar, inaugurated at least six Kalayaan sa Barangay Projects (KBP), a military report said.

Maj. Gen. Arthur Tabaquero, commanding general of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division (ID), based at Camp Lukban here, said the municipality of San Jose de Buan is a recipient of an estimated P4.7 million worth of KBP projects and was inaugurated by Mrs. Arroyo during her recent visit to the municipality.

Tabaquero disclosed that those inaugurated include six KBP projects consisting of two units of school building, two health centers, and two street lighting projects, all implemented by the Army Engineers since civilian contractors hesitated to accept the said projects due to security concerns.

He added that that the said projects, which were started last August and were funded by the President’s Social Fund, gave more encouragements to the localities since the said area is still a developing municipality.

Tabaquero also disclosed that the President also inaugurated the new two-storey municipal executive building of San Jose de Buan that was funded by the local government unit with a total project cost of P1.5 million.

It can be recalled that San Juan de Buan was known to be highly influenced by the New People’s Army (NPA) several years ago where encounters between the rebels and the military were just considered ordinary.

Meanwhile, San Juan De Buan Mayor Melania Rebato attributed the development of the town to the military and police who untiringly performed their mandated tasks to secure the people and municipality.

Rebato, who acknowledged that San Juan de Buan is one of the poorest towns in Eastern Visayas, also said that with the cooperation of the localities and the local officials to the law enforcers and to the military, development in the area was given priority.