KABUGAO, Apayao – A new road that connects the Cordillera region particularly the upper municipalities of Apayao to Ilocos Norte was formally opened here last week.
Apayao officials led by Governor Elias Bulut Jr. with members of the Regional Development Council led by Department of Interior and Local Government –Cordillera Assistant Regional Director Araceli San Jose and officials of Kalinga province led by Vice Governor James Edduba held a ribbon cutting ceremony to open the Apayao-Ilocos Norte or the Kabugao – Calanasan – Solsona Road. It was held in time for the Apayao leg of the Cordillera Unity Gong Relay around the provinces as part of the 31st Cordillera Month celebration.
Bulut said that portions of the road is undergoing concreting but at least seven bridges are being prioritized to be completed first to make sure that concreting of the remaining 26-kiometer of the road will be easier .
This 64-kilometer road from Kabugao passes through Calanasan then to the municipality of Solsona in Ilocos Norte
DPWH Project Engineer Raymond Ferrer said when the new road is completed, travel time from the municipality of Kabugao to Laoag, Ilocos Norte will be just more than three hours compared to the more than six hour travel passing through the Kabugao-Pudtol-Luna road then through the municipalities of Cagayan and Ilocos Norte.
Transport of people, goods and agricultural products will also be easier and faster and tourism will get a boost. It will also improve the peace and order situation due to a much easier and faster access leading to socio economic and political gains in the influenced areas, Ferrer said.
. He added that paving the existing gravel roads has a higher user acceptance because of the smoothness of its surface and can accommodate many types of vehicle.
“Through the new road opening, we are showing the product of the unity and cooperation between the province of Apayao and the Regional Development Council particularly with the major agencies that helped us in achieving such development in our province,” said Bulut.
The new road is expected to be completed by 2019 and is expected to bring in more developments to the province of Apayao.
(JDP/RMC- PIA CAR, Banner photo by: RMC)
