BONTOC, Mountain Province – Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan, Jr., commended the officials and employees of the Department of Public works and Highways–First Mountain Province District Engineering Office (DPWH-FMPDEO), the contractor and other stakeholders for collectively working together for the immediate completion and eventual opening of the Sabangan detour bridge to the public even before the scheduled date of opening.
Lacwasan said all the stakeholders who closely worked together to open the detour bridge ahead of the scheduled date of opening deserve the commendation from the people and officialdom of Mountain Province because they prioritized the interest of the public by beating their self-imposed deadline.
“We hope that all issues that cropped up in the past have been appropriate addressed by DPWH officials to prevent most of the province from being isolated in case serious concerns arise related to the area where the detour bridge is erected so as to avoid problems for local officials. We need people who prioritize the interest of the public in their work so that everything will come to an end well,” Lacwasan stressed.
He also commended the people of the province for their patience and understanding in awaiting the actions of DPWH officials and their contractors for the completion of the detour bridge project ahead of their self-imposed deadline, saying that the people had sacrificed a lot just to give way for the appeal of DPWH officials for more patience and understanding on the previous impasse.
Lacwasan also called on the DPWH and the contractor to start implementing the permanent bridge project in the area after learning that Mountain Province district engineer Alexander Castañeda ordered the contractor of the delayed project to already mobilize as the temporary detour bridge is now installed.
According to him, the elevation of the detour bridge to a much higher level compared to the highest flood water recorded along the Bayudan river at the height of Supertyphoon Lawin is an assurance it will be open to the public even when waters rise to such level.
The detour bridge comprises of a concrete bridge sheet, about 140 lineal meters long, which serves as the base for the bailey panels installed over the said bridge sheet.
Lacwasan is optimistic that the DPWH also addressed the concerns of the land owners whose properties are traversed by the portion of the detour bridge to avoid issues once improvements are made in the area.
Lacwasan successfully negotiated with the land owners to allow their properties to be traversed by a portion of the detour bridge after they lost trust and confidence with the DPWH personnel for their unfulfilled promises in the past. By HENT