TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Mayor Darwin Estrañero has committed an amount of PhP 150 million as a counterpart fund for the streetscaping of the Bulanao-Balong provincial road in partnership with the provincial government of Kalinga.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod, headed by Vice Mayor Dick Bal-o, supports the action, and has granted the mayor the authority to negotiate a memorandum of agreement with the administration of Governor James Edubba during a joint special session with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on August 2, 2022.
In the same session, a motion was also made to give Governor Edduba the power to collaborate with the city government on the project by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan chaired by Vice Governor Jocel Baac.
The Bulanao-Balong provincial road is the subject of a road improvement program that is currently on hold as the Edduba administration reviews its implementation. It would be recalled that the Php 300 million road improvement is part of the provincial government’s almost Php 1 billion loan with the Land Bank availed by the previous administration.
Vice Governor Baac said the provincial government wants to continue the development of the Bulanao-Balong provincial road in collaboration with the city government in a 50-50 counterpart scheme for the implementation of a streetscaping program which is seen to make the seven-kilometer road more environmentally friendly and more in line with the city’s urban master plan.
The city government is providing the design of the streetscaping which involves the construction of walkways, bike lanes, a drainage system, center islands, among other ‘green’ components.
This collaboration, according to Mayor Darwin Estrañero, is merely a prelude to future joint initiatives with the provincial government based on shared development goals.
For his part, Vice Governor Baac said the provincial government would be willing to turn over the Bulanao-Balong provincial road to the city government shall the city request for it in the future. By Tabuk-CPIO
