P1.8 billion road projects in Cordillera underway

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera office of the Department of Public works and Highways here disclosed more than P1.8 billion worth of road projects in the region is currently being implemented to help improve road linkages.

Engineer Edilberto Carabbacan, DPWH regional director, said the Department of Budget and Management released the corresponding Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) of the 15 ongoing road projects that were earlier bid out.

The funded road projects include the Rizal national road in Kalinga – P93.4 million; Bulanao-Paracelis road – P93.9 million; Kabugao-Pudtol-Luna-Cagayan boundary road- P57.1 million; Abra-Kalinga road – P50.5 million; Kalinga-Abra road – P80.3 million; Mountain Province-Ilocos Sur road via Tue in Tadian – P142.4 million; Baguio circumferential road – P140 million; Balbalan-Pinukpok road – P100 million; Abra-Kalinga road – P143.7 million; Abra-Ilocos Norte – P78 million; Gorel-Bokod-Buguias-Abatan road – P115.4 million; Gorel-Bokod-Kabayan-Buguias-Abatan road – P98 million; Sto. Tomas – Manabo Bridge along Sto. Tomas-Manabo road – P160 million; Mountain Province-Calanan-Pinukpok-Abbot road – P209 million and Balbalan-Pinukpok road – P245 million.

According to Carabbacan, the 15 road projects are part of the P3.4 billion worth of infrastructure projects lined up by the national government for the region this year but some of the same were already downloaded by the agency to the different district offices since the amount of the projects are within the ceiling of the district offices to bid out and award to qualified contractors.

He said projects were subjected to thorough evaluation and scrutiny in accordance to the government’s policy on transparency and the right project at the right time and the right cost.

Carabbacan said he was hoping the projects would be complete 80 percent by December this year in order to minimize carry over projects next year so that the aspiration for infrastructure boom in the countryside will be fulfilled for the benefit of greater economic development.

DPWH regional offices are given a ceiling of P51 to P150 million worth of projects to bid out while district offices are allowed to bid out projects below P50 million except in cases where the central office authorizes either the regional or district office to bid out projects above their prescribed ceilings.

The DPWH official said funding for road and bridge projects is now based on a state-of-the-art technology adapted by the agency whereby needs of roads and bridges in the country are stored in a database and subjected to analysis and evaluation by the technical personnel so those who urgently need the funds and with the most number of beneficiaries will be prioritized for funding purposes.