P5.2 billion set for rehab of 3 main Cordillera roads

BAGUIO CITY— After the completion of the over P5.2 billion worth of road projects in the Cordillera, the region stands to benefit from the infusion of more funds to upgrade three more interior roads linking several provinces in the coming months, a ranking official of the Department of Public Works and Highways central office said here.

Funds for rehabilitation of three major roads in Kalinga, Abra, and Benguet are part of the Aquino administration’s commitment to improve infrastructure in the countryside improve the lives of the people as envisioned by the Cordillera Road Improvement Project (CRIP), the blueprint of the development of roads in the region prepared by the Regional Development Council during the early 1990s.

DPWH Assistant Secretary Roy Manao said roads being prioritized for funding by the agency the coming months include the upgrade of the Lubuagan, Kalinga to Abra Road, Bokod-Kabayan, Benguet-Baguio Road, and the Acop-Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun Road, both secondary national arterial roads located in southern and northern Benguet, respectively.

Manao said feasibility studies for upgrading of the roads were completed and awaiting funding from national and international funding agencies.

Earlier, the RDC in the Cordillera Administrative Region endorsed the funding of the project and was approved by the National Economic Development Authority – Investment Coordinating Committee and forwarded to the DPWH for implementation.

Manao urged local governments and other stakeholders to help solve the expected increase in road-right-of-way problems that will arise during the project implementation so these will not delay completion of programmed works like the controversial multi-billion projects in Mountain Province, Ifugao and Kalinga.