LUNA, Apayao – The province of Apayao is assured of its infrastructure development with the allocation of P2.1 billion for 2015 from the national government.
DPWH Undersecretary for Regional Operations Romeo Momo announced this during the culminating program of the 20th founding anniversary of Apayao last week.
Momo said the P2.1 B is the biggest allocation for infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges and buildings given to a province in the country.
Apayao is the youngest province in the region and the DPWH has acknowledged that the province has been left out in terms of infrastructure development and this is being resolved by the various infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges which will interconnect the province as well as the other provinces and regions.
Momo added the DPWH will also prioritize the construction of roads and bridges of the on-going construction of the Kabugao-Calanasan-Solsona Section of the Apayao-Ilocos Norte road network which will give direct access from Apayao to Laoag City in Ilocos Norte without passing through Cagayan province and spending long hours of travel to reach destinations.
The Undersecretary also assured that the promise of President Benigno Aquino III to build 11 bridges to interconnect the municipalities of Apayao will be done and completed before his term ends in 2016. He said the DPWH added two more bridges to the initial 11 bridges which the President promised to build during the inauguration of the Ninoy Aquino Bridge in Tuao, Cagayan in August 2014, an inter-regional linkage road network of Cagayan province, Kalinga, Apayao and Ilocos region.
The President has ordered the DPWH to coordinate with the local officials of Apayao to fast-track the completion of the bridge projects and its road networks, which are expected to boost the economic activities and other industries in the province.
Engr. Edilberto P. Carabbacan, DPWH-CAR Regional Director, said almost 80 percent of the nearly 500 kilometers of roads in Apayao are yet unpaved but he is confident that the unpaved roads in the province will be concreted by the time President Aquino steps down from power in 2016 because of the billions of funds infused for the paving of roads provincewide over the past two years.
In 2013, Apayao received allocation of P1.6B for the rehabilitation of roads in the province while another P1.5Bwas earmarked for similar uncompleted projects in 2014.
Governor Elias Bulut Jr. expressed gladness with the various infrastructure projects and the billions of pesos poured in for the continuing development of the province. He said the support of the national government to the province is a way to attain the development which is needed for the province and the people particularly in the improvement of their lives. He added that the continued support of the national government with various projects and other programs is a way to support to overcome poverty in the province.
