Wednesday, July 25, 2007 P2.3B north road project to start
EVEN without the full amount needed for it, the construction of the P2.3-billion Cebu North Coastal Road Project will start on July 28, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 Director Jerome dela Rosa said.
Local businessmen and officials of Mandaue City and Consolacion town welcomed the project, which President Arroyo mentioned in her State of the Nation Address (Sona) last Monday.
Dela Rosa told Sun.Star Cebu that P100 million has been released as initial funding for the 9.5-kilometer coastal road, which will traverse Mandaue and the towns of Consolacion and Liloan.
Of the amount, P55 million will go to the payment of road right-of-way acquisitions while the remaining P45 million will be spent for civil works.
These will include the construction of bunk houses for engineers, delivery of sand and gravel, and clearing the roadsides of structures and trees.
DPWH 7 Public Information Office Marie Mignon Nillama said the project was bid out last July 5 yet.
UKC Builders of Tablon, Cagayan de Oro City won the bidding and has received the notice to commence work last July 18. The implementation of the project will start 10 days after receipt of the notice.
Dela Rosa said DPWH Undersecretary Manuel Bonoan informed him that the National Government will release the funds for the project in several tranches.
Instead of making foreign loans, the National Government opted to charge the project to the DPWH General Infrastructure Fund for 2008, starting with P400 million. Another P400 million will be allocated in 2009 and P400 million in 2010.
The rest of the amount will also be charged to the infrastructure fund.
In Mandaue City and Consolacion, officials welcomed the project as it complements their legislative agenda and ongoing projects.
Mandaue City Vice Mayor Carlo Pontico Fortuna said the President’s thrust to develop Cebu’s north roads supports their efforts to spur economic growth in the northern barangays.
“This only affirmed and strengthened our legislative agenda, which focus on the growth of the north area,” Fortuna said, referring to Barangays Paknaan, Labogon, Basak and Jagobiao, among others.
He said there are many underdeveloped areas in the north that can host several economic activities once the North Coastal Road is constructed.
Because of development projects in the north, Fortuna said Mandaue is fast becoming the region’s fastest growing economy. “The orientation of our investors is to go north,” the vice mayor noted.
But Fortuna sees the need for further development in that area. He believes the operations of numerous business establishments there and the north coastal road will hasten its growth.
Fortuna likened Cebu to Metro Manila where major projects such as the North Luzon Expressway and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority are all in the north.
Consolacion Mayor Avelino Gungob, for his part, said he is happy to have his town as one of the recipients of the project.
The north road, he said, complements the 207-hectare reclamation project that will soon be undertaken by the Municipal Government.
The project is still on its administrative phase but town officials expect to get the project’s master plan and the environmental compliance certificate by September.
Gungob said six investors already proposed to finance the multi-billion project, which will have a commercial center, government building, a marina and fish port.
Dela Rosa said the coastal road was originally supposed to be funded through a loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).
But Arroyo reportedly changed her mind because she wants the project completed when her term ends in 2010.
Instead of borrowing funds from JBIC, which will take time because of the necessary negotiations and signing of agreements between the Japan and Philippine Governments, Arroyo decided to charge the project against the annual regular infrastructure fund.
The coastal road will be a four-lane highway with a total length of 9.45 kilometers, including the 684.13-meter Cansaga Bridge in Consolacion and the Suba Bridge in Liloan.
The portion of the project in Tayud, Liloan will have an underpass and pedestrian overpass.
Dela Rosa said the civil works will be finished on or before December 2007, at a project cost of P42,287,55.60.
Apart from infrastructure projects, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Francis Monera said what businessmen need from the President “are signals about what she intends to do in terms of education.”
Monera said the National Government should have a more definite action plan on infrastructure and education.
He also praised Arroyo for focusing on the need to improve the country’s educational system, “which is always the key to a nation’s success.”
Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Eric Mendoza, for his part, said he is grateful because the President has foreseen the need to reduce bureaucracy in the application of business permits as an important element to drive local and foreign investments to the country.
“It’s a good sign that she has taken notice. People have been complaining about it for the longest time,” Mendoza said.
He also said the President is on the right track in pushing for the construction of the north coastal road in order to decongest traffic in the cities of Mandaue and Cebu.
“The growth for Mandaue and Cebu is unstoppable but the biggest problem is traffic. Putting access will ease up congestion in these areas,” he said. (EOB/OCP/MMM)
