LINGAYEN, Pangasinan June 06 – The provincial board led by Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. unanimously approved Provincial Resolution No. 1357-2015 authorizing Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. to enter and sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Dept. of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the implementation of the Special Local Road Fund (SLRF).
The resolution which was taken up during the regular session last June 1, states that under Republic Act No. 8974 known as Motor Vehicle Users Change (MVUC) Law, it is the policy of the state to provide for and ensure the adequate maintenance of national and provincial roads through sufficient funding.
Hence, the provincial board considered it necessary for the resolution to be immediately approved that the governor be given authority to implement more infrastructure projects specifically the concrete paving of Olo-Naguilayan Road in Mangatarem town which has a project cost of over P9.9million as well as concrete paving of Asingan-San Manuel-Agno Gorge Road in Asingan town which amounts to more than P9.6million.
Said fund was granted to the province under the MVUC Special Local Road Fund (SLRF) to be utilized on projects along Pangasinan’s provincial roads.
Engr. Antonietta delos Santos, who served as the spokesperson for the Provincial Engineer’s Office (PEO), said that the initial straight line diagram was already prepared by the office and the green light depends on the immediate signing of the MOA.
Delos Santos further disclosed that the province has been implementing the SLRF since 2004.
The total amount granted to Pangasinan from 2004 to 2013, according to her, totaled to P61million.
For 2015, the amount given to the province amounts to P19.6million, Delos Santos added.
Section 7 of the law states that ‘all monies collected under the act shall be earmarked solely and used exclusively for road maintenance and improvement of road drainage, for the installation of adequate and efficient traffic lights and road safety devices, and for air pollution control, and that 5 percent of all monies collected shall be deposited under the SLRF, which shall be apportioned to provincial and city governments in accordance with the vehicle population and size of road network under their respective jurisdiction, and which fund shall be under DPWH.’
By Dexter A. See
