DILG: 13 provinces to receive P350M fund for roads, bridges

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday said P350 million funds are slated for 13 provinces for the improvement of provincial roads and bridges this year.

In a statement, the DILG said the fund is under the Conditional Matching Grant to Provinces (CMGP), a national government program that aims to develop the state of core provincial roads.

DILG spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the CMGP funds will be directly downloaded to the following provinces:

• Ilocos Norte
• La Union
• Apayao
• Benguet
• Mountain Province
• Nueva Ecija
• Pampanga
• Tarlac
• Laguna
• Western Samar
• Davao Occidental
• Dinagat Islands
• Agusan del Sur

Malaya urged the concerned provincial governors to fast-track their submission of requirements to receive the allotted fund for their respective provinces.

Under the same program, at least 915 provincial road projects with a total of P39.192 billion and spanning 2,866.91 kilometers have been completed, the DILG said.

Of the finished projects, 91 are in Region III amounting to P3.217 billion; 85 in CALABARZON amounting to P1.888 billion; 76 in Region II amounting to P2.5 billion; 75 in MIMAROPA amounting to P3.357 billion; 74 in Region VIII amounting to P2.5 billion; and 74 in Region X amounting to P3.151 billion.

The DILG added that 65 projects were completed in Region VI amounting to P3.116 billion; 63 in Region XII amounting to P2.907 billion; 57 in Cordillera Administrative Region worth P2.532 billion; 54 in CARAGA worth P2.652 billion; and 51 in Region 1 worth P1.92 billion.

Meanwhile, in Region V, 47 projects were done amounting to P2.366 billion; 44 in Region XI amounting to P2.777 billion; 27 in Region VII amounting to P2.244  billion; 18 in Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao worth P522.172 million; and 14 in Region IX worth P1.283 billion.

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año pointed out the importance of these projects in commerce.

“With better provincial road networks, these infrastructure development will lead to faster economic recovery amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and more peaceful communities in far- flung areas,” he said.—AOL, GMA News