DPWH builds office for east Mt. Province

By Andrew Doga-ong

NATONIN, Mountain Province - A two-storey building that will initially house the Department of Public Works and Highways- Mt. Province District Engineering Office sub-office in this municipality is undergoing construction.

District engineer John Marquez said the building with a total project cost of P8.3 million is constructed in two phases with the first phase having a contract price of P2.5 million and awarded to the OCDC construction firm.

The second phase, which is still for bidding , has a budget of P5.8 million.

Located 2 km away from the Natonin town hall and along the Natonin – Paracelis road, the facility will house offices, a conference hall and quarters for staff who will be assigned to man the soon to be established engineering sub-office.

Engineering officials said the sub-office will cater to the engineering needs of the three eastern towns namely Barlig, Natonin and Paracelis whose residents claimed to have been neglected by the government in the past.

Expected to be finished by December, the construction of the engineering facility is not only to house a MPDEO sub-office but also in preparation for the eventual creation of a second district engineering office.

Marquez said Rep. Maximo Dalog has filed a bill in the Lower House creating a 2nd Engineering District Office to service infrastructure needs of eastern municipalities.

The MPDEO is located at the capital town of Bontoc which is more accessible to the western municipalities of the province.