P32M Dantay-Sagada Road fund set for release

By Pamela F. Dungala

SAGADA, Mountain Province – The district engineering office of this province is set to implement the additional P32,000,000 funding for the upgrading of the Dantay-Sagada Road as the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) was due to be released to the district and the approved program of work has been submitted to the Department of Public Works and Highways central office.

“Submission of the approved program of work, plans and detailed estimates to the central office is a requirement for the release of fund,” said OIC assistant district engineer Charles Sokoken.

Said fund has been approved by DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson after his visit to the district last year which is the share of the Mountain Province District Engineering Office on the nationwide Lump sum allocation.

Under close supervision of OIC-District Engineer John Marquez, the program of work for this particular funding has been finalized and approved by the regional director.

Items of work include road widening, construction of Portland cement concrete pavement, curb and gutter and slope protection works.

The impending 210 calendar days implementation of this project with limits at Km. 386+026.7 to Km387+190 will start immediately after undergoing the usual advertisement and bidding process and approval of the project contract.

The project, if completed, will further promote agro-tourism development by providing safe, better, faster and easier access road going to Sagada and nearby municipalities and easier transportation of the products of farmers in the area.

The project would also address the clamor of the riding public for the improvement of this road which has already claimed lives due to its snake-like, steep gradient and narrow terrain.

Meanwhile, the on-going upgrading activities from Km.384+796.4 to Km.386+101.69 is already 86.5% complete and is closely monitored and supervised by engineer Benedict Matib, chief construction section and project engineer, to ensure quality of the works being undertaken and for the contractor to strictly comply with the materials testing and quality control requirements.

The Dantay-Sagada project is expected to be completed ahead of time which, originally, was set to be completed by the end of December.