DPWH Central Visayas needs P16M for road repairs

CEBU CITY, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) needs P16 million to repair damaged portions of the 248-kilometer national road in Cebu’s second district. But engineer Fernando Cruz of the second engineering district said that the DPWH central office has yet to release the allocation for the road repair program this year. Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said the agency should use any available fund to repair the roads, as only some portions, not the entire highway, need repair. Garcia met yesterday with the engineers of the second engineering district and the district’s mayors and board members at the Capitol. They discussed road maintenance. Garcia said she wants damaged roads connecting Badian and Malabuyoc towns rehabilitated. The governor was surprised when Cruz told her that they couldn’t assure the repair of all the damaged roads of the district, because of the delayed release of the agency’s annual allocation. Garcia asked Cruz to make use of the enacted budget in 2005, worth P14 million, to rehabilitate the dilapidated roads. The governor also ordered the Provincial Engineer’s Office to coordinate with DPWH in carrying out a survey of damaged roads in the second district, including the dilapidated roads linking Santander and Alcantara towns. Garcia said the government agency and the local government units should coordinate with each other in undertaking any project. The governor also urged the Cebu Provincial Board to pass a resolution asking DPWH officials to synchronize with local government units in carrying out their projects. There are about 164 kilometers of unpaved provincial roads left for the Provincial Government to finish this year. Last year, 218 kilometers of provincial roads were asphalted by the Capitol, through the Provincial Engineering Office. Since 2005, the total number of asphalted roads has reached 454 kilometers, according to the Capitol. The engineering office will also work on 23 bridge sections all over the province. Close to 70 kilometers of asphalting projects went to the first district while the second district got more than 111 kilometers of paved roads. About 70 kilometers of road asphalting was done in the third district while more than 100 kilometers went to the fourth district. The fifth district, including Camotes group of islands, got some 100 kilometers of road projects while the sixth district, which includes Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu cities, received about two kilometers. – Sun.Star Cebu