DPWH completes P682M arterial highway in North Luzon

Coffee growers and vegetable farmers in Northern Luzon stand to benefit from the completion of a P682-million improvement of the national arterial highway connecting key areas of Ilocos and Cordillera in Northern Luzon. Funded under a loan agreement between the Philippine and Japanese governments, the network covers Cervantes in Ilocos Sur to Abatan, Buguias in Benguet. "The said mountainous road also helps the coffee growers in upland Ilocos Sur and the vegetable farmers in Benguet to transport their produce to Candon City which is nearer than Baguio City," the Department of Public Works and Highways said in a news release on its website. It said the work on the 31-km Cervantes-Mankayan-Abatan road section was completed at a cost of P682 million. The project in the mountainous and rolling terrains of Ilocos and Cordillera regions involved the concrete-paving of about 25.27 km; improvement of shoulders, slope protection activities, and rehabilitation and improvement of five bridges spanning 248.03 meters. Undertaking the project was China Harbour Engineering Company with Katahira and Engineers International assisting the implementing office, DPWH-Philippine Japan Highway Loan-Project Management Office in quality completion of the project. DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said this road development project shows the DPWH is committed to enhance productivity of rural communities with easy transport of products and services. DPWH-PJHL-PMO Project Director Virgilio Castillo said the contractor of the project has been directed to expedite the preparation of as-built drawings of the project so that final inspection can be conducted. – VVP, GMA News