P’sinan eco-tourism road to boost trade

By Venus May H. Sarmiento

MANGALDAN, Pangasinan -- The Dept. of Public Works and Highways has completed the first phase of the road leading to an eco-tourism park in this town. 

Facing the Angalacan River, the 900-meter concrete road has a  river protection barrier of 1 meter x 1 meter x 0.5 meter parapet walls and 200-meter flood control  system consisting of six-meter long per sheet pile project that extends to Barangay Embarcadero area up to Barangay Nibaliw.

District engineer Edita Manuel of Pangasinan 2nd District Engineering Office said the road  and eco-tourism project will serve as access route leading to the park being developed as a tourist destination and boost development by providing alternative source of livelihood and economic benefits  to town folks specifically Barangays Embarcadero, Nibaliw, Tebag and Salaan.

“The 44.8-million project is not only built to have an accessible means to the developing tourist spot but will also aid in controlling the entry of flood water in the locality. Residents along the road were provided with driveways and intersecting roads adjacent to the road project,” Manuel said in a report sent to the Philippine Information Agency.

Manuel said phase II of the project is about to start consisting of 1,195 meters concrete road with stone masonry and parapet wall and a 6.10 meters width of road carriageway.

Meanwhile, in an interview, Municipal Administrator Fernando Cabrera said the local government is brainstorming with DPWH personnel final concept of the eco-tourism project. 

“Generally, the project is developed to be a tourism road and  consideration must be given to environmental protection  and  security details which is why careful conceptualization is really necessary,” Cabrera told the PIA.

Aside from flood control, the eco-tourism project will have sports tourism biking, hiking area, floating restaurant and  solar lightings once finished.