BONTOC, Mountain Province – Some P179 million was downloaded by the national government to the provincial coffers for the improvement and upgrading of 3 major farm-to-market roads in three towns under the government’s Konkreto at Ayos na Lansangan ang Daan Tungo sa Pangkalahatang Kaunlaran (KALSADA) program.
Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan, Jr. said the roads that will benefit from the downloaded funds include the Poblacion-Aba-Bacarri provincial road in Paracelis, the Sinto-Paktil-Boga road in Bauko and the Nacawang-Panabungen-Maliten road in Besao
The governor disclosed that the improvement and upgrading of the three roads include the widening of narrow portions, concreting of major road sections and the construction of the necessary drainage and slope protection walls to make sure that the roads are all-weather roads for farmers to deliver their agricultural produce all-year round to the nearest trading center.
“The provincial government already bid out the programmed projects and two of the projects have been awarded to the winning contractors while one of the projects has not yet been awarded to give the winning bidder sufficient time to complete documentary requirements for the prosecution of the project,” Lacwasan stressed.
He added the 4.6-kilometer Sinto-Paktil-Boga road costs P79 million, the improvement and upgrading of the 4-kilometer Poblacion-Aba-Bacarri road P70 million while the upgrading of the P1.9-kilometer Nacawang-Panabungen-Maliten road has a budget of P30 million.
According to him, the provincial government complied with the stringent requirements of the program and it will be the one to implement the projects pursuant to the standards and specifications contained in the programs of work for the improvement of the three roads.
Lacwasan claimed the provincial government will continue to access funds from the various programs of government agencies to bankroll the implementation of high-impact projects in the different parts of the province and improve the accessibility of rural communities and provide economic activities that will generate more jobs and the availability of sources of livelihood for the people.
Aside from the Department of the Interior and Local government, the governor said the local government is trying to make representations with the office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agrarian Reform for hard infrastructure projects while local officials are also looking into soft infrastructure projects being funded by other government agencies for the benefit of the people of the province.
Lacwasan expressed his gratitude to his fellow provincial officials and employees and the municipal officials from the ten municipalities for their support, trust and confidence for him to lead the sustained development of the province amidst the hard times that the province faced with the untimely demise of two of its respected and dedicated leaders, Gov. Leonardo Mayaen and Rep. Maximo Dalog, Sr.. By HENT
