GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/30 Sept) — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Region 12 is pushing for a funding of around P20 billion for the implementation of various priority infrastructure projects in parts of the region next year.
Engr. Allan Borromeo, DPWH-Region 12 assistant regional director, said Friday such allocation comprise the agency’s proposed budget for projects under its 2017 infrastructure program.
He said the proposed funding is around P7 billion more than the approved budget for their 2016 infrastructure program that reached P13.2 billion.
“The lined up projects are mostly road upgrading and widening, and completion of major road networks,” he told MindaNews.
He said they have allotted around P900 million for the opening of the remaining 30 kilometers of the Lake Sebu-Maitum road.
The 75-kilometer road network connects the municipalities of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato and Maitum in Sarangani.
The P1.39-billion road project had been endorsed by the Regional Development Council (RDC) of Region 12 as among the region’s priority development initiatives.
The RDC-12 cited that the road project will provide a shorter link between the coastal towns of Maasim and Maitum in Sarangani and Palimbang and Lebak in Sultan Kudarat to the regional center in Koronadal City via Lake Sebu and Surallah towns in South Cotabato.
Borromeo said they have earmarked around P700 million for the construction of the Surallah-T’boli-San Jose road.
The road project will connect the municipalities of Surallah and T’boli in South Cotabato and Barangay San Jose in this city.
It was designed as an alternative route to the city airport in Barangay Tambler, the city fish port complex in Barangay Calumpang and other strategic areas in this city and nearby Sarangani Province.
The official said they have also allocated additional funding for the completion by next year of the P1.135-billion city circumferential road project.
He said the DPWH central office recently approved the release of some P150 million to fund the construction of a bridge along the road network’s western section, specifically the road bypass from the city international airport to the fishport complex’s diversion road in Barangay Tambler.
The project’s construction was earlier suspended due to road right-of-way problems.
But Borromeo said they already resolved the problem with the affected families and they expect the construction works to resume by next week. (MindaNews)
