Tuesday, July 10, 2007 Gov't to push Caraga projects completion in 2010 By Ben Serrano Caraga Correspondent
BUTUAN CITY -- Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco) Chairman Virgilio L. Leyretana said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wanted all projects for Caraga under the Mindanao Super Regions Projects to be completed by the end of her term in 2010.
Leyretana said this at a news conference during 6th Inter-Agency Meeting on Mindanao Super Regions held in Surigao City Monday where different regional directors of participating government agencies for the Mindanao Super Regions Projects attended.
President Arroyo will be here in Butuan City Tuesday for a more than two hour visit on the way to Cagayan de Oro City to receive the output of the three-day Mindanao Peace and Security Summit slated July 8 to 10 at Pryce Hotel.
Caraga Region is a natural bailiwick of Arroyo since she ran for Senate, Vice President and in the 2004 Presidential elections, Arroyo won by wide margin of votes.
But two out of the 10 priority projects in Caraga Region under the Mindanao Super Regions have no funding yet according to its June 2007 official status report.
Also during the press conference, no single official from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) were present whose presence crucial to determine on whether funds are really available for the projects.
Among projects that have no fund releases yet is the P9.6 billion Mindanao Farm to Market Roads where Caraga Region got a slice of P361.4 million. The P960 million small irrigation projects in Mindanao, which is part of P4.9 billion NIA irrigation projects nationwide.
The status report said the listing of priority irrigation projects were already submitted to President but are subject for endorsement by respective Regional Development Councils (RDC).
The P10-million Sayac Airport Expansion Project in Del Carmen, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte has also no fund releases yet.
Among priority projects are the 15 kilometers P100-million Dinagat Island Road Network, which is to be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Report said detailed engineering was already completed and P4 million was already released to the District Engineering Office.
The 140-Kms. Tandag to Marihatag Road, a World Bank assisted project worth P1.764-billion, which is now on going and is expected to be completed by May 2010.
These said road section area have been the sourced of many complaints by commuters, motorists in the past due to its worst road condition.
The P250 million Butuan City Airport Development Project to be implemented by Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).
The project involves the extension of runway whose construction is slated to start in August 2007 and is targeted for completion by December 2007.
The project also includes the P102.4 million improvement of Air Navigation Facilities, which is to commence by September 2007 and is targeted for completion by May 2008, the official status report said.
