LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Rep. Nestor B. Fongwan, Sr. worked out the programmed funds amounting to P28.4 million from the public works department for the rehabilitation and restoration of the road slip along the Baguio-Bontoc road, particularly at Sinipsip, Buguias, Benguet, for immediate implementation prior to the end of this year.
Fongwan secured the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) dated July 10, 2019 from the public works department for the said funds that was included in the annual budget of the national government for this year and due for implementation supposedly until the end of the year.
The Sinipsip road slip was inflicted by Tropical Storm Ompong that wrecked havoc in most parts of Northern Luzon on September 15, 2018 and aggravated by the continuous monsoon rains that visited the Cordillera since then thereby seriously impacting on the smooth transport of agricultural products from the vegetable farms in northern Benguet and some parts of Mountain Province and Ifugao to the La Trinidad vegetable trading post.
In a related development, Rep. Fongwan wrote Public Works Secretary Mark Villar to facilitate the release of some P26.1 million for the rehabilitation and restoration of the road slip along Acop-Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun road, particularly at Gambang, Bakun, Benguet, due to the urgent need to complete the project to lessen the inconvenience encountered by the people from the northern part of Benguet in transporting their agricultural produce to the markets through the existing vegetable trading facility in this capital town.
The Gambang road slip has a total length of 90 meters and is programmed to be completed within 90 calendar days or before the end of this year.
“Acop-Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun road is a major alternate road used by farmers coming from the municipalities of Buguias and Mankayan, Benguet, as well as Mountain Province and Ifugao, during the rainy and typhoon seasons, especially if there are road cuts along the Halsema Highway or the Baguio-Bontoc road, thus, the necessity of restoring the slipped road to allow the smooth flow of agricultural crops in the different markets and for the rest of Benguet and avoiding isolation during calamities,” Fongwan stressed.
On the other hand, the neophyte lawmaker also requested Secretary Villar to work out the allocation of the over P50 million being requested by Engr. Ireneo S. Gallato, district engineer of the DPWH First Benguet Engineering District, to facilitate the immediate replacement of the old bridge structure of the Balili bridge located along the Baguio-Bontoc road which suffered a series of cracks, among other damages, recently.
Fongwan closely monitored the activities of the agency until the appropriate mitigating measures were put in place and the same bridge was opened to light vehicles at around 8 pm Tuesday.
In a similar request to Secretary Villar dated July 29, 2019, Fongwan also pushed for the allocation of the required funds for the stabilization of the sinking portion of the Baguio-Bauang road popularly known as Naguilian road, particularly at sitio Kalikip, Banagan, Sablan, Benguet, to ensure safe travel among the increasing number of motorists plying the said route. By HENT