P1.5 billion allotted for Kalinga infra projects

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- This province will get from the national budget P1.5 billion worth of infrastructure projects in 2015 through the initiative of Rep. Manuel Agyao, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways- Kalinga District Engineering Office.

Engineer Theodoro Owek, KDEO chief of construction,  said fund allocation for Kalinga includes regular projects worth P50 million and below which KDEO implements   and regional projects worth above P50 million implemented by the  regional DPWH office.

The bulk of the allocation will go to the concrete pavement of primary roads with the Kalinga-Abra national highway getting the lion share of more than P370 million to complete   up to the boundary.

Other allocations will go to the Tabuk-Tanudan road – P300M; Calagdao–Bulo road - P120M; Bulanao-Paracelis road – P112M; Lubuagan-Batong Buhay road – P100M; continuation of Bulanao 6-lane road – P73M; Bagbag-Kinama-San Francisco road – P50M, and Bulo-Malalao  road– P50M.

Owek said this also includes two tourism infrastructure projects, concreting  of the  Pullekak-Naneng road (P27M) and Tomiangan road going to the starting  point of the white water rafting (P10M).

Meanwhile,  KDEO district engineer Ireneo Gallato  said they have completed all their 2014 regular projects except for Kagutungan and Baay bridges along Pinukpuk-Balbalan road.

He said they are on track to complete the pavement of primary roads this  year as mandated by President Aquino.

“Of the total 398 kilometers of national road network under the jurisdiction of KDEO, we also target to concrete 80 percent of secondary roads until 2016,” he added. -- Peter Balocnit