Villar to grace opening of 2nd MP engineering district

NATONIN, Mountain Province – The Mountain Province Second District Engineering Office (MPSDEO) based here starts operation Nov. 21 and will serve infrastructure needs of eastern towns of Barlig, Natonin, and Paracelis especially the more than 100 kilometers of national roads.

Rep. Maximo Dalog earlier filed House bill for creation of the MPSDEO noting eastern towns were then usually neglected by the Highways Department preoccupied with the western side of the province.

Congress enacted Republic Act No. 10379 entitled “An Act Establishing the Mountain Province Second District Engineering Office in Mountain Province and Appropriating funds therefor”.

                 Dalog had been lobbying for implementation of the law since then in the previous administration but to no avail until recently.

It was in Sept. 13 that Secretary Mark Villar issued Department Order 190 directing operationalization of the MP Second District Engineering Office.

“Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act 10379 dated March 8, 2013, the Mountain Province 2^nd DEO is hereby operationalized under the DPWH-CAR to be located in the Municipality of Natonin, Mountain Province”, stated the Order.

The 2^nd District Engineering Office will be implementing a lot of projects in the eastern municipalities especially as the roads are relatively unimproved.

Some observers say that the new engineering office will be implementing more funds as the Talubin-Barlig-Natonin-Paracelis national road is currently being improved with widening and concreting works being implemented. Add to this the school building projects in the various communities of the eastern towns.

Personnel from the MPFDEO and the regional office will man the new office pending the allocation of funds in the next year’s budget for more regular employees.

Secretary Villar is expected to grace the grand opening ceremonies.

In attendance for blessing and inauguration will be two regional directors, Director Danilo Dequito is recently reassigned as Regional Director of DPWH Region 1 and newly-assumed Regional Director of DPWH-CAR, Director Nerie Bueno.

Dalog and three mayors of the eastern towns will express gratitude to Secretary Villar and party.

Villar will be the second high official to visit Natonin after Vice President Leni Robredo visited the town last month.

“The people of the eastern towns are thankful to Secretary Villar and the Duterte administration for issuing the Department Order immediately even in just a few weeks after we asked for it. The people will surely remember this as a legacy in favor of Secretary Villar for being the DPWH Secretary who made it possible,” Dalog said.