Cebu to receive P58M for road projects
CEBU was one of 73 provinces that was awarded P56 million to upgrade, develop, and rehabilitate its provincial roads under the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) Kalsada (road) program.
The DPWH budgeted P6.5 billion for road rehabilitation and is part of the P3-trillion national budget for this year.
Provincial Information Officer Ethel Natera said the Capitol Engineering Office chose the existing provincial road connecting Barangay Dakit in Bogo City to Barangay Nipa Cayaan in Tabogon, northern Cebu as beneficiaries of the program.
A feasibility study conducted by the Provincial Planning and Development Office showed that the Bogo-Tabogon beltway is among the busiest roads in the province, serving as a link to numerous businesses and tourist spots in the north.
Natera said the allocation for the project may even exceed P80 million since the provincial government still has to provide a counterpart fund of at least P24 million as a requirement in the program.
Bogo City Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr. said he has no objections to the proposed project, but he would prefer that the funds be used on opening a new road in the area instead.
“If they will seek my recommendation, I would recommend opening the coastal road from Barangay Odlot in Bogo City to Barangay Salag in Tabogon town,” he told Cebu Daily News.
Martinez said turning the trail into a road would improve economic activity in Tabogon town which he described as “sleepy.”
In a separate interview, Provincial Engineer Hector Jamora said they are only waiting for the funds to arrive before they bid out the project.
He said the project might be bidded out by the end of February or March this year.
DBM said the provinces were selected based on their compliance with the requirements of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping and the submission to DBM of their Local Public Financial Management Assessment Report.
The DPWH Kalsada program focuses on the rehabilitation and upgrading of provincial roads and transferring them permanently to the provincial government which will maintain them, the DBM said in its website.
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