P211 million allotted to fix Baguio roads

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY -- This mountain resort city will be getting a huge chunk from the Aquino administration’s infrastructure budget next year following the inclusion of eighteen road repair projects having a total amount of P211 million in next year’s P1.816 trillion approved national budget which will guarantee better road condition in the coming months.

However, The Department of Public Works and Highways – Baguio City District Engineering Office will be bidding out the projects next month pursuant to the revised rules and regulations in the implementation of infrastructure projects to make sure the rehabilitation of roads will be done the earliest time so people will not suffer the inconvenience they have experienced during the simultaneous implementation of projects during the rainy months.

“We will do better in the implementation of our approved projects next year. We want most of the projects done during the summer months so that we will not be criticized for failing to do our homework,” Engr. Ireneo S. Gallato, DPWH-BCDEO district engineer said.

Despite having started late this year in the implementation of their 14 programmed projects under the agency’s regular fund in the amount of P208 million, Gallato disclosed most of their awarded projects will be completed by next month with only one project which will be extended and will be completed by early next year.

“We will implement the projects in such a way that our people will not suffer from tremendous inconveniences. We will try to do it the best way we can so that we will be able to reduce inconvenience vis-à-vis infrastructure development,” he said.

The city has a total of 95 kilometers of national roads and secondary arterial roads which needs repair and rehabilitation although all the roads have already been paved but requires continuous repair and maintenance.

“People should understand that we are mandated to ensure that all our national and secondary arterial roads have good surfaces in order to ensure convenience to the motoring public. We are strictly following standards being imposed by our higher authorities,” Gallato added.

The city roads which are expected to undergo facelift next year includes Abanao Road, Gov. Pack road, Kayang Street, Leonard Wood road, Naguilian road, Harrison road, Abanao extension road, Chanum Street, Kisad road, Andres Bonifacio Street, Government Center Road, Manuel Roxasroad, PMA cut-off road, PMA road and Loakan road.

According to him, the reasons for the simultaneous implementation of road improvement projects nationwide this year which was done during the rainy months was the review of all the programmed projects to conform with the standards of the Aquino administration of having the right projects at the right cost and at the right time.

After the bidding of projects, the DPWH will be awaiting for the release of the supporting Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to ensure the availability of funds for the projects before the contracts will be awarded to the winning contractors.