Right-of-way problems hound construction of Cordillera roads

BONTOC, Mountain Province --  Road right of way problem hound construction and repair of roads in the Cordillera, regional Highways Cordillera director Edilberto Carabbacan bared during the Gong and Shield Relay, one of Cordillera Day activities in  this capital town on July 9.

Some 87.153 kilometers reportedly remain unpaved on national road network of the province out of total 310.73 kilometers and expected to be concreted before the end of the Aquino administration  on June 2016.

Carabbacan said around 93% of these unpaved sections are found in the eastern part of Mountain Province while the remaining 7% are the gaps between the completed road upgrading projects of the Mountain Province District Engineering Office and the DPWH-Cordillera Administrative Region regional Office.

These are affected by road-right-of-way issues. He said road upgrading works will be concentrated on the eastern part of the province by next year.

               

The opening of the second district engineering office in Mountain Province is also expected to spur development on this side of the province. This district engineering office will improve and maintain the Talubin-Barlig-Natonin-Calaccad Road, Butigue-Roxas Road, and Kiling-Paracelis Road.

                

On the other hand, the Mountain Province-Ilocos Sur via Tue and via Kayan Road sections or the Tadian Loop is expected to be fully paved by 2014. The MPDEO maintains the Ilocos Sur side since most residents along this road line are residents of this province.

                

Carabbacan asked for everybody’s cooperation especially during the implementation of the department’s infrastructure projects where acquisition of right-of-way is expected particularly on narrow sections.

He said while the President is committed to improve our roads, one way of acknowledging it is for the residents not to oppose the road projects by granting the DPWH and the contractors the necessary permit to enter on properties which are within the right-of-way of national roads.

“We are not building for today, we are building for tomorrow” he added, referring to the improvement of our roads. -- Pamela Fiar-od Dungala