89 infrastructure projects lined up for Southern Leyte
Atotal of 89 infrastructure projects are on tap in Southern Leyte this year, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.
The projects involve the construction of new bridges and diversion roads and the widening of major roads, according to the Southern Leyte District Engineering Office.
The R2.2-billion infrastructure budget for this year, District Engineer Ma. Margarita Junia said, is R500 million higher than the 2017 budget.
“Our 89 projects for this year will cover widening of major roads, building new bridges and a diversion road, as well as construction of slope protection structures within the primary and secondary highways,” Junia said.
Aging bridges will also be replaced and will be widened from two lanes to four as part of the massive road-widening projects in Southern Leyte over the past years.
A concrete bridge that will link the towns of San Ricardo and Liloan will also be constructed.
Junia said the bridge is expected to unlock the tourism potential of the southernmost villages of the province.
Improving accessibility to key ports and other production areas as well as building and upgrading local access roads to various economic zones and tourism destinations are also included in the allocation.
“We were able to bid out already more than 50 percent of the 89 projects under 2018 outlay. We are waiting for the approval of some proposed modifications for projects under the regular infrastructure program and as soon as funds are released, we will immediately award the projects,” Junia said.
Aside from road and bridge, the agency will also build 115 academic, secondary and senior high school buildings amounting to R1.2 billion under the Basic Education Facilities Fund of the Department of Education.
These projects are on top of the 299 kilometers of national roads and 155 bridges that are being maintained by the Southern Leyte Engineering Office within 18 towns and one city.