BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - After the completion of the over P5.2 billion worth of road projects in central Cordillera, the region stands to benefit from the infusion of more funds to rehabilitate and upgrade at least three more interior roads linking several provinces in the coming months, a ranking official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) central office said here. The provision of sufficient funds for the rehabilitation of three major roads in Kalinga, Abra, and Benguet is part of the Aquino administration's commitment to further improve infrastructure in the countryside in order to make an impact and improve the lives of the people as envisioned by the Cordillera Road Improvement Project (CRIP), the blueprint of the development of the various roads in the region prepared by the Regional Development Council (RDC) during the early 1990s. DPWH Assistant Secretary Roy Manao said the roads which are now being prioritized for funding by the agency in the coming months include the upgrade of the Lubuagan, Kalinga to Abra Road, Bokod-Kabayan, Benguet-Baguio Road, and the Acop-Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun Road, both secondary national arterial roads located in southern and northern Benguet, respectively.
According to Manao, the feasibility studies for the upgrading of the aforesaid roads were already completed and are now awaiting funding support from both the national and international funding agencies in order to realize the government's vision to bring the living condition of the people in the right track. Earlier, the RDC in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) endorsed the funding of the project and was approved by the National Economic Development Authority - Investment Coordinating Committee ((NEDA-ICC) and forwarded to the DPWH for implementation. Manao explained the continuous infusion of development funds in the region purposely for road rehabilitation and upgrading projects will guarantee the convenient travel of motorists from one province to another as well as provide better access of traders to the agricultural crops of farmers, especially those in the countryside. With the expected infusion of more funds to develop the region's road networks, Manao challenged local governments and other stakeholders to help solve the expected increase in road-right-of-way problems that will arise during the project implementation so that it will not unduly delay the targeted completion of programmed works like what is now being encountered in the controversial multi-billion projects in Mountain Province, Ifugao, and parts of Kalinga.
