TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The local government will be earmarking funds for the purchase of available lands that will serve as relocation sites for the residents that will be affected by the various road widening projects that will be implemented by the public works department to ensure that the width of highways will be compliant to national standards.
Mayor Darwin C. Estran֮ero said that Rep. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang in close coordination with the public works department are sourcing out funds to widen the Nambaran-Lacnog portion of the Kalinga-Isabela road to be able to accommodate the prescribed 8 lanes for one of the national highways going in and out of the city.
“The city must be proactive in anticipating the possible displacement of residents who will be affected by the implementation of the road widening project that is why we are trying to look for funds to purchase possible relocation sites for the people who will be affected by the said project,” Mayor Estran֮ero stressed.
He pointed out that the relocation sites should be available before the implementation of the project so that it will be easier for the government to convince the affected individuals to be relocated to pave the way for the execution of the programmed road widening project.
The local chief executive jokingly stated that the Nambaran-Lacnog expressway (NLEX) will be the local version of the North Luzon expressway (NLEX) once the public works department will be able to complete the 8-lane highway which will contribute in further cutting short the travel time to the fast-developing city.
One of the projects being appreciated by residents and visitors of the city is the 10-lane Bulanao-Dagupan road and other wide roads that allow the convenience of motorists to be able to smoothly travel in and out of the city.
Mayor Estran֮ero asserted that the public works department and the local government want to ensure the standard width of national and local roads to avoid encroachments that will make it difficult for the further expansion of the said roads in the future once there will be need for the implementation of more widening projects to be able to effectively and efficiently carry the projected increase the volume of vehicles going in and out of the city in the future.
Aside from the widening of major road networks in the city, the public works department and the city government partnered for the installation of solar studs popularly known as cat’s eye and streetlights along strategic portions of roads to ensure the safe and convenient travel of motorists during the night.
The mayor emphasized that there are still numerous infrastructure projects that should be implemented in the city but the concerned government agencies and the local government are prioritizing the same primarily because of the inadequate funds that are made available, thus, the most important projects are being programmed for implementation to slowly achieve the desire of the people for a well developed city in the future.
He called on the affected residents to understand the wisdom in the implementation of the road widening project as they will be provided with suitable relocation sites and that the said project will be for the welfare of the greater majority of the people who will be provided with safe and convenient roads to travel.
