DPWH chief wants ‘super region’ projects completed by April 2010

MANILA, Philippines — Public works officials handling “super region" projects have been given orders to complete their projects by the end of the first quarter of next year. Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPHWH) said Department’s thrust for 2009 is to complete the super regions projects before President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo finishes her term of office. Arroyo is barred by law from seeking another term. Her term of office ends on June 30, 2010. Ebdane said Arroyo’s “super regions" project are of top priority because “they serve as foundations of economic development and it can also help our government’s effort to sustain its economic gains through infrastructure development." Ebdane directed Undersecretary Manuel Bonoan to supervise the overall implementation of P56.3 billion super region projects. The super region projects are: • North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle, consisting of the widening/concreting of 95.29 kilometers Halsema Highway covering the Bontoc Banaue Section (27.37% complete) and Mt. Data-Bontoc Section (31.04% complete); concreting of the 108.03-kilometer Bontoc-Tabuk-Tuguegarao Road (18.22% complete); and 120-kilometer gravelling and construction including rehabilitation of bridges at Baler-Casiguran Road (5.51% complete) in Aurora province. • Luzon Urban Beltway, include the widening/improvement and new road opening for the 120.65-kilometer Tarlac-Nueva Ecija-Fort Magsaysay-Dingalan Port Road (50.95% complete) in Central Luzon and the concreting of 109.125 kilometers Marikina-Infanta Road (46.59% complete) in Southern Tagalog Region. The DPWH will facilitate inter-island transportation, commerce, agribusiness and further enhance tourism including job generation in the Central Philippines Super Region through nine road improvement projects located in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol, Western, Eastern and Central Visayas regions. • Central Philippines, which include the 358.38-km El Nido-Bataraza-Rio Tuba Road (31.64% complete); Cansaga Bay Bridge under the Cebu North Coastal Road Project (phase 1: completed, phase 2: 4.92% complete); Panay Island Package consisting of Caticlan-Malay-Libertad Road (completed), Pandan-Libertad-Antique/Aklan Boundary Road (1.30% complete), Iloilo City-Sta. Barbara and Metro Iloilo Radial Road (8.77% complete); Aroroy-Esperanza Road (39.32% complete); New Bacolod (Silay) Airport Access Road (road right-of-way under negotiation); Bohol Circumferential Road (completed); Maharlika Highway, Samar (33.26% complete); San Isidro-Lope de Vega Road, Northern Samar (5.08% complete); and Laoang-Lapinig-Arteche-San Policarpio (Samar Pacific Coastal Road) (12.18% complete). • Mindanao Super Region, which includes the 89.80-km Dinagat Island Road Network (22.41% complete); 10.518-km Iligan City Circumferential Road 3 (1.43% complete); 10.766-km Dapitan-Dakak Road (45.58%); 172.72-km Zamboanga West Coast Road (22.25%); 2.36-km Panguil Bay Bridge (contract for the geotechnical investigation works is under process); 104.93-km Junction Awang-Upi-Lebak-Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao (civil works for contract packages 1 and 3 has just commenced and accomplishment is at 4.955 and 0.38%, respectively); 151.88-km Kapalong-Talaingod-Valencia Road, Bukidnon (48.85% complete), and the 89.27-km Hawilian-Salug-Sinakungan Road (80.77%). - GMANews.TV