TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Department of Public Works and Highways–Lower Kalinga District Engineering Office (DPWH-LKDEO) started to work on a convergence project with the tourism department, particularly the construction and improvement of the access road leading to the Bangabanga falls, one of the major tourist destinations in the city, for residents and tourists alike to have easy access to the said destination.
DPWH-LKDEO officer-in-charge Engr. Ruby Uyam stated that the construction and improvement of the roadline had been provided a budget of some P9.4 million last year which was implemented and completed by the middle of this year.
She pointed out that the primary objective of this convergence project is to improve the access road that leads to the Banga-banga falls, a major tourist destination in the city.
While there is still a need to continue the improvement of the roadline up to the jump off area of the falls, the DPWH-LKDEO official claimed that additional funding was proposed by the agency for inclusion in the upcoming annual budget of the government to complete the project.
According to her, the agency is banking on the all-out support of the tourism department and Rep. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang to source out the additional funds to complete the ongoing improvement of the roadline on the paving of several kilometers of the road.
Earlier, regional tourism officials accompanied by DPWH-LKDEO officers led by Engr. Uyam recently conducted an ocular inspection on the accomplishment of the contractor in the prosecution of the project that was added to the construction firm.
Uyam expressed his gratitude to the concerned stakeholders for their support to the agency and the contractor in the implementation of the said project as tourism has been also identified by the local government as one of the city’s major economic drivers, thus, the need to ensure the continuous development of the roads leading to the different tourist spots in the city.
The district engineer assured that the agency will continue to strictly monitor the ongoing implementation of the various projects that have already been awarded to the winning contractors to make sure that the projects are prosecuted pursuant to the prescribed project standards and specifications and the works identified under the programs of work of the projects.
According to her, the DPWH-LKDEO is also working on the preparations that are required for the conduct of public bidding for the projects within the jurisdiction of the DPWH-LKDEO that have been funded under the national expenditure program of the proposed P5.045 trillion budget which is now pending deliberations in the Senate so that they will be able to comply with the early procurement process to avoid the unnecessary delays in the future implementation of the funded projects.
