MANILA – The Aquino Administration through the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P1.72 billion to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the maintenance and repair of roads and the acquisition of road safety devices nationwide.
Of the total release, P705.7 million will cover all roadside maintenance activities along national roads for the first six months of 2014. Another P314.5 million will support the preventive maintenance of national roads for the second phase of the National Roads Improvement and Management Project.
Both releases were charged against the Special Road Support Fund (SRSuF) under the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC) Act.
The DBM also said that of the P1.72-billion release, P568.3 million—which was sourced from the Special Local Roads Fund under the MVUC Act—will fund maintenance activities on various provincial and city roads nationwide.
“We often talk about how the Administration is developing new infrastructure to spur the economy. What isn’t always discussed, however, is that the DPWH is doing continuous maintenance work to preserve the country’s existing structures. These include all roads and highways spanning the country, all of them obviously essential in ensuring the country’s growth and productivity,” Secretary of Budget and Management Florencio “Butch” Abad said.
“Releasing the funds at this particular point of the year is actually a well-timed move. First of all, we’re months ahead of the rainy season, so that the DPWH has enough legroom to obligate the funds and implement the projects while the weather permits it. It wouldn’t be ideal to begin maintenance operations when the rains begin,” he continued.
At the same time, P97.1 million of the total release will be used to implement the International Road Assessment Program (iRAP), and another P38 million will cover the procurement of Retroreflectometers, Digital Marking Thickness Gauges, and Spray Boxes for road signs and pavement markings.
The two releases were charged against the Special Road Safety Fund (SRSaF) under the MVUC Act.
“It’s not just a question of pushing our infrastructure spending so we can look forward to greater economic growth. In the more immediate term, these maintenance activities will ensure that motorists and commuters stay safe on the road. The sheer volume of traffic on our national roads eventually cause significant wear and damage that can pose huge risks for motorists,” Abad said. (DBM)