Saturday, November 12, 2011
CEBU CITY -- No funds were set aside for a flyover in Lapu-Lapu City this year, but work on an important circumferential road in that city will be funded starting 2013, an official said.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Central Visayas informed the Infrastructure Development Committee (IDC) that the National Government has allocated P300 million for the concreting of Mactan Circumferential Road instead.
Engineer Nonato Paylado of DPWH in Central Visayas made the revelation last November 10, after IDC chairman Emmanuel Rabacal asked why the proposed flyover project in Lapu-Lapu City is no longer in the list of projects endorsed by the Regional Development Council (RDC).
The IDC is a committee under the RDC, now chaired by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.
Rabacal said former DPWH regional director Josefino Rigor, a former member of the IDC, assured the committee that the budget for the Lapu-Lapu City flyover has been included in the 2011 budget.
“The IDC endorsed it (flyover), the RDC endorsed it, and Rigor assured us that this was included in the 2011 annual budget of DPWH. Where is the flyover project now? Why was it struck out from the lined-up projects?” Rabacal asked.
Paylado explained that the procedure within DPWH is for the regional office to endorse the list of projects. It’s up to their central office to prioritize.
“It is the assessment of the DPWH Central Office that concreting the Mactan Circumferential Road is more of a priority than the flyover,” he said.
Switch
Engineer Perla Amar, acting city planning and development coordinator of Lapu-Lapu City, also asked DPWH why the flyover project, which they consider important to decongest the traffic problem in the city, has been deleted from the list.
“Anyway, we are happy that despite the deletion of the flyover project from the DPWH list, we will have the concreting of Mactan Circumferential Road in the amount of P300 million, which is a priority of Congressman Arturo Radaza,” Amar said.
Even though the P300 million is for 2013 yet, DPWH Assistant Regional Director Juby Cordon said they will now start making the project plan.
Acting Lapu-Lapu City Legal Officer Michael Dignos said that last year, Congressman Radaza made representations with Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson for the upgrading of the national circumferential highway.
“It also coincides with the clamor for our local businessmen and tourism stakeholders to address this vital road infrastructure,” Dignos said in a text message.
Dignos added that the P300 million will be the first phase and will start in Barangay Ibo, where Gate 1 of the Mactan Economic Zone (MEZ) is situated.
Local road
Meanwhile, Paylado also said the expansion of the busy Hernan Cortes Ave. in Mandaue City was removed from the list of DPWH projects because this is considered a local road.
During the third quarter meeting of the IDC last Aug. 25, Architect Florentino Nimor of Mandaue City said the widening of Hernan Cortes Road is necessary and should be implemented, before DPWH pursues a drainage system project in the area.
Businessman Valeriano Avila told the IDC that Hernan Cortes Road, which runs parallel to Banilad Road in Cebu City, is a crucial road to Mandaue City and its neighboring areas.
Avila, Adela Cono and Norris Oculam of Tagbilaran City were invited to become additional members of the IDC for the term June 2010-2013.
Rabacal instructed the IDC secretariat to request DPWH to clarify the status of the Hernan Cortes project.
But during the IDC meeting last November 10, Paylado said the Hernan Cortes Road widening and concreting project was deleted because this is a city road, owned by Mandaue City Government. (Sun.Star Cebu)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on November 13, 2011.
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