P34-B Davao coastal road receives initial P1.98-B funding
DAVAO CITY — The planned 35-kilometer coastal road here, which will cost P34 billion to complete with a reclamation component, has been allocated an initial P1.98 billion in the 2017 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), a regional official said.
DPWH- Region 11 Spokesperson Dean I. Ortiz, in an e-mail interview, said initial work on the infrastructure will be undertaken while the government carries out discussion with Mega Harbour Port and Development, Inc. on how the road and its succeeding costs can be integrated into the company’s proposed 200-hectare reclamation project.
Former mayor and now President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed a joint venture agreement with Mega Harbour earlier this year for the P39-billion reclamation project, which will have an international port and four islands with residential, commercial and tourism areas. The project is still subject to the approval of the National Economic and Development Board and the Philippine Reclamation Authority.
Mr. Ortiz said the department wants to ensure that the coastal road “will become a tourist attraction” with parks and esplanades on the side.
Based on the design, it will also have three roundabouts, which will become parks for joggers, he added.
Meanwhile, he said the national government is also planning to set up 10 bypass roads in the city, with a total budget of P7.6 billion, to decongest the main roads.
Mr. Ortiz noted the worsening road congestion in the city, including the main highways in the northern and southern sides of the city.
“At present, most main roads leading to the city center are really congested,” he said, referring in particular to the portions of Ulas in the south and Tibungco in the north.
The planned bypass roads, which will have a combined length of about 108 kilometers, will serve as alternative routes.
Mr. Ortiz said the allocation is part of the DPWH 2017 budget, which has yet to get Congressional approval. —