APAYAO province has been cited by the Department of Public Works and Highways as among 20 areas in the country with unpaved national arterial and secondary roads.
Records of the DPWH listed Apayao with 180.31 kilometers of unpaved national arterial and secondary roads, the highest among the Cordillera provinces.
Kalinga has 143.15 kms. unpaved national arterial and secondary roads while Ifugao has 114.15 kms.
Mountain Province has yet to pave over 104.82 kms. of roads; 64.94 kms. in Benguet and, 39.7 kms. in Abra.
For 2016, the Department of Budget and Management has set P6.5 billion for the development of national arterial and secondary in the country, however, CAR was least funded among other regions.
From the proposed 2016 infrastructure spending plan of the DPWH, the region will only receive P12.36 billion from the total of P357 billion infrastructure budget.
The biggest chunk of the budget goes to Northern Mindanao with a P30.14 billion allotment, followed by Central Luzon with P25.21 billion, while Calabarzon will receive P21.28 billion.
Infrastructure budget of the other regions are as follows: Eastern Visayas - P20.68 billion; National Capital Region - P19.7 billion; Bicol Region - P19.65 billion; Southern Mindanao - P18.96 billion; Western Mindanao - P18.59 billion; Western Visayas - P17.84 billion; Caraga - P16.99 billion; Central Visayas - P16.96 billion; Mimaropa - P16.40 billion; Ilocos Region - P14.97 billion; Central Mindanao - P12.64 billion; and Cagayan Valley - P12.41 billion.
An additional amount of P64 billion is also allotted for inter-regional and other nationwide projects.
The agency called for contractors to register with the Philippine Contractor’s Accreditation Board (PCAB) so they can partake of next year's higher budget for public infrastructure projects.
"Contractors have to conform with a project’s equipment resources, financial and expertise requirements, technical personnel and to demonstrate competence in terms of ability to participate in competitive public bidding," the DPWH stated in its website.
Republic Act 4566, or the Contractor's License Law as amended by Presidential Decree No. 1746, provides that no contractor (including subcontractor and specialty contractor) shall engage in the business of contracting without first having secured a PCAB license to conduct business.
Although a regular license will automatically qualify the licensee to participate in private projects, a contractor will have to apply for registration with the DPWH Civil Works Registry of Contractors.
DPWH is one of two government departments that will enjoy a big increase in their share of the national budget for 2016.