A ROAD improvement project stretching over six kilometers on Olango Island is nearing completion, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The project -- overlaying asphalt along Olango Island's main road -- has received an allocation of P91 million from the 2024 General Appropriations Act, said DPWH Central Visayas Director Ernesto Gregorio Jr. in his report to DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan.
"Our ongoing project on the island covers the asphalt overlay of a total of 6.53 kilometers of a two-lane road to make the road pavement surface smoother, safer, and more durable," said Gregorio in a statement on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.
District Engineer Gumer Castillo of the DPWH Cebu Sixth Engineering Office said they have accomplished 90 percent of the work since they began in February 2024.
He said they expect to complete the project ahead of their July 2024 deadline.
Gregorio said they hope the project will not only help locals with their travel but also contribute to the convenience of tourists visiting the island.
"With this road improvement project, we hope to not only enable more convenient access for locals, but also tap into the tourism potential of Olango Island, which is a haven for [a] wide range of migratory birds coming from Siberia and Japan," he said.
Olango Island has a total land area of around 1,030 hectares, and it is governed by the local government unit of Lapu-Lapu City. It comprises Olango Island and six satellite islets: Caubian, Camungi, Caohagan, Gilutongan, Nalusuan, Pangan-an, and Sulpa.
The island has several tourist attractions, including marine and bird sanctuaries. (KAL)