Sagada road done by 2013, works ongoing

By Pamela F. Dungala

SAGADA, Mountain Province – Additional projects for the upgrading of the Dantay-Sagada road leading to this scenic and culturally-rich municipality are now being implemented by the Mountain Province District Engineering Office.

Three projects have been bid out to different construction firms and are expected to be completed before the end of the first semester.

Project activities to be undertaken include road widening, construction of Portland Cement concrete pavement , curb and gutter and slope protection works and drainages.

BMK Construction has been contracted to implement the P28 million worth Dantay-Sagada road project.

Said fund has been approved by DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson after his visit to the district sometime in 2010. “This is a share of the district on the nationwide Lumpsum allocation for CY 2011”, said OIC- assistant district engineer Charles C. Sokoken.

The P37 million road upgrading project and P5-million-worth rehabilitation have been bid out to BLC Construction and Aggregates and Thunderblast Ventures, respectively and are included in the Regular Fund Projects of the CY 2012 General Appropriations Act.

By 2013, the remaining unpaved portion of this road line will only be 1.64 kilometers which is expected to be funded in line with the department’s thrust to concrete all national road networks by 2016.

Thus, Dantay-Sagada road with a total length of 13.56 kilometers will be completely paved by 2013.

As kick-off to the implementation of these projects and other infrastructure projects of this district office, Construction Engineer Benedict F. Matib conducted a pre-construction conference for all project participants to establish closer coordination and communication links and delineation of roles.

During the conference, Matib said necessary documents and tools for construction and monitoring, project management set-up and other details should be completed for an efficient and effective project implementation.

Matib also reminded contractors regarding the agency targets for the completion of infra projects per memorandum of Secretary Singson for contractors to avoid delays in the implementation of their projects.

Further, “materials should be tested before incorporation to the works to comply with DPWH quality standards”, said materials engineer Cyril Valencerina.

Meanwhile, the on-going Dantay-Sagada Road project costing P50 million which started last year is already 95 percent complete.

Said project was supposed to be completed end of December last year but has been delayed as it was affected by the series of typhoons that hit the province.

As of this writing, MPDEO and contractors’ personnel are preparing for the CY 2012 Dantay-Sagada road projects for implementation early this year.

Completion of these infrastructure projects will promote agro-tourism development and will address the
clamor of the riding public for the improvement of this road line which already claimed lives due to its snake-like and narrow terrain and steep mountainous topography.