THE Department of Budget Management (DBM) Central Office has approved the P1.5-billion budget for provincial roads, Gov. Hilario Davide III confirmed yesterday.
Davide said that during an appointment in Manila last Thursday, he went to the DBM office to discuss the matter with officials.
The governor was in Manila last week to accept awards from the National Competitiveness Council for Cebu being the third most competitive province nationwide.
Cebu City was also chosen the third most competitive highly-urbanized city.
Purpose
He said he received a text message from Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson, saying the P1.5B budget will be given by the Department of Budget Management to the DPWH 7.
He said the Capitol had asked for funding support for provincial roads that lead to tourism projects in the province.
“Hopefully, makab-ot nato nga duna tay mga (we will be able to implement) projects worth P1.5 billion),” he said
Radio dyAB reported that part of the budget will be used to rehabilitate some provincial roads leading to tourism sites and to develop farm-to-market roads for easier transport of goods.
DPWH 7 Director Ador Canlas said their office has yet to receive an official report on the matter.
He said the agency has already submitted several proposals for road construction and rehabilitation and its funding.
According to the official list of infrastructure projects funded by the Capitol from 2014-15, construction and development of roads was allotted P206 million.
These included the P19.8-million concreting of the Sangi-Bugho Road in San Fernando that traverses to Pinamungajan, cutting travel time by up to one hour; a P14.4-million vegetable highway; farm-to-market roads worth P30 million in Tuburan and Tudela; a P20.1-million provincial road; and a P3.34-million circumferential concreting of a tourism road in Malapascua.
Davide pointed out that he will divulge the full details during his State of the Province Address next month.