Benguet folk assail P1.7-B road project; execs warned

BY DEXTER A. SEE

BOKOD, Benguet – Residents here assailed concerned government agencies for the “irregular” implementation of the foreign funded P1.7-billion Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya road which they said, was not done properly.

This was the statement of concerned residents here and the sub-contractors, who participated in the implementation of the rehabilitation of the over-100-kilometer road.

Sources said the government should look into the stone masonry at critical portions of the road because the deepcore penetration (DCP) was not strictly observed.

At the same time, the waterways of the road are only one-fifth-meter thick instead of the standard half-meter thick.

This is important because the road has mountainous terrains, they said. When the residents aired their concern to the consultants and the project engineer of the contractor, Cavite Ideal, the sub-contractors were allegedly ordered to follow the specifications in the plans and programs even if the project designs were not reportedly in consonance with the terrain of the region.

The source also said the concrete pavement of the lengthy road had already developed cracks, which are indications of the allegedly poor workmanship on the project, but the cracks were simply covered with plasters to hide the defects of the pavement from government inspectors.

Local officials and concerned residents living alongside the road have expressed their full support for a move of Rep. Samuel Dangwa in connection with the reported anomalies in the implementation of the project.

Dangwa was asking a full-blown investigation on the project by the House of Representatives so that all those responsible for the defective works are made accountable for their actions.

Earlier, Dangwa said the newly rehabilitated road linking Benguet to other parts of Region II could be considered merely as a first-class farm-to-market road because it is too narrow to be classified as a national road.

The project implementors said rehabilitation works are almost completed, and the road is expected to be turned over to the government within the first quarter of this year.

However, Dangwa said widening should first be done by the contractors so that big trucks speeding on the opposite lanes could be accommodated at certain narrow sections.

While agreeing that the rehabilitated road has greatly reduced travel time from Benguet to other parts of Region II, the sub-contractors warned that the concrete pavement and riprap walls would not be able to last the five-year warranty period prescribed under the regulations of the Department of Public works and Highways.