Upper Kalinga District Engineering Office opens

By Peter A. Balocnit

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The newly created Upper Kalinga District Engineering Office of the Dept. of Public Works and Highways is now operational.

Teodoro Owek, assistant UKDEO district engineer, said 80 percent of positions are already filled up, a work force capable to carry out the functions of the office covering the municipalities of Tinglayan, Lubuagan, Pasil and Balbalan.

Owek said UKDEO is working for the completion of projects released to them by their mother district in Tabuk, now called the Lower  Kalinga District Engineering Office.

          These unfinished projects are road concreting gaps along the Cagaluan (Pasil) – Tinglayan, Kalinga-Abra, and Pinukpuk boundary – Balbalan national roads, school buildings and water works.

“We requested for a minimum equipment fleet from DPWH central office”, he said adding they will have a separate budget next year.

Owek also bared that they have coordinated with the Provincial Office on Agricultural Services, the owner of land located at Cagaluan, Pasil for an ocular inspection and eventual survey to separate at least one hectare for UKDEO.

DPWH  Department Order No. 43  was issued  last Feb. 10 to implement Republic Act No. 10369  approved in February 2013 reconstituting the Kalinga Engineering District  into two regular district engineering offices, the Upper & Lower Kalinga DEOs.