BONTOC, Mountain Province – A total of P 19,449,439.00 was downloaded to Mountain Province for the implementation of six projects funded under the Special Local Road Fund (SLRF) FY 2015. The amount covers the repair and maintenance of almost 2.5 kilometers of provincial road network.
As of press time, two of these projects which was earlier approved in August 2015, were already completed based on the validation done by the Project Monitoring Team headed by DILG Provincial Director Anthony Ballug. The completed projects amounting to P 5,012,290.00 are Maintenance along Sagada-Besao Road (P 3M) completed in December 2015 and Maintenance Along Tadian-Nacawang Provincial Road (P2,012,190.00) completed in January this year.
In December 2015, four additional projects amounting to P14,437,149.00 were again funded under the SLRF as incentive of the Province for its good performance in the implementation of the previous SLRF projects. These are Guinzadan-Banao-Andanum Provincial Road in Bauko worth P 2M; Sadsadan-Balicanao-Salin Road, also in Bauko, worth P 5M; Poblacion-Aba-Bacarri Road in Paracelis worth P2,437,149.00; and Tadian-Nacawang Provincial Road in Tadian worth P 5M. The procurement process for said projects will commence after the election ban, said Engr. Ben N. Wadwadan of the Provincial Engineering Office.
Based on the Republic Act 8794 or the Motor Vehicle Users Charge (MVUC) Law enacted on June 27, 2000, it is the policy of the state to provide for and ensure adequate maintenance of national and provincial roads through sufficient funding for the purpose. It is stipulated in the Law that five percent of the monies collected shall be placed in a Special Local
Road Fund (SLRF), to be apportioned to provincial and city governments in accordance with vehicle population and size of the road network under their respective jurisdictions.
Eligible projects to be funded under the SLRF are projects for road maintenance, installation of road safety devices, and for traffic management.
Generally, the provision and maintenance of national roads is the mandate of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), while the provision and maintenance of local roads is the responsibility of the Local Government Units. Due to the mandate of the DILG over LGUs, the proposal of the DPWH to delineate SLRF planning, programming, monitoring, and funds utilization to the DILG came about when the two agencies signed a Memorandum of Agreement relative to the SLRF implementation in 2005.
With the continuous implementation of SLRF projects and other similar projects in Mountain Province, time will come when all provincial roads in the province will be concreted and installed with road safety devices thus, making travel safer and faster. Further, it is hoped that it will further spur economic development with the opportunities that better roads will open to the Province.
By Imelda F. Banganan
