Perennial road problems in Region 8 soon to be things of the past
Tacloban City (October 28) -- The perennial road problems in Region 8 will soon be things of the past, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office 8 Assistant Regional Director Romualdo Baltazar informed the media during the Harampang Ha PIA held Friday.
The Calbayog-Catanguit Road Project will commence soon, ARD Baltazar informed. He said that as announced by President Gloria Macapagal when she visited Calbayog on October 16, the Notice to Proceed for the said project was served on October 17.
The usual procedure is that the work will commence ten days after the receipt of the Notice to Proceed. If the contractor China Road and Bridge Corporation received it on the 17th, this means that the work will start very soon, Director Baltazar said.
The Calbayog to Catanguit Road project which costs P806 million and is part of the 25th Yen Loan Package, will be supervised by the Central Office, Director Baltazar said.
The 25th Yen Loan Package is composed of five projects. Included is the Catanguit – Calbiga road repair and rehabilitation project which amounts to P942 Million. ARD Baltazar revealed that the Notice to Proceed for this project has been served but the Regional Office has not received a copy of the Notice. He said that the contractor for this project is B.C. de Luna.
The bidding for the other part of the project, the Allen-Malaga road project has been done, Director Baltazar bared. The Malaga to Calbayor part has not yet been bidded, he added.
The Allen-Malaga project costs P524 million while the Malaga-Calbayog Project costs P541 Million, Director Baltazar informed.
These four components of the Package will solve the perennial problem of the commuters plying the Samar and Northern Samar route.
The fifth component of the 25th Yen Loan Package is the Agas-agas viaduct which costs P500 Million. This project will put to rest the recurring problem in the landslide prone are in Southern Leyte , Director Baltazar added.
Director Baltazar added that the Calbayog–Catarman Road project which is under the 24th Yen Loan Package is more than 80 percent complete. This will reduce the travel time by more than one hour, he informed.
Another good news is that the Himay-an-Silago road project under the 23rd Yen Loan Package is also about to be completed. This will also cut the travel time for about two hours. (PIA 8) [top]
