Engineering Office’s budget next year jumps 155 percent

The Provincial Engineering Office (PEO) will spend P150 million to implement various road-concreting and -rehabilitation projects next year.

The total amount the PEO is asking for next year is P240.72 million, or 155.61 percent more compared to its budget of P94.17 million this year.

Aside from the allocation to concrete and fix roads, the amount will also cover P81.2 million for personal services, P7.5 million for maintenance and other operating expenditures, P1.4 million for total capital outlay and P500,000 for trainings under its Gender and Development Program.

According to Provincial Engineer Hector Jamora, 25 kilometers of roads will be concreted in Argao in the second district, Balamban in the third district, Daanbantayan in the fourth district, Compostela in the fifth district and Alegria in the seventh district.

P5 billion needed

The longest stretch that will be concreted will be in the second district, which has the most provincial roads, he said.

Jamora said they will prioritize boundary roads, roads that connect to the national highway and roads that link to agricultural areas.

Cebu has 850 kilometers of provincial roads, but less than half have yet to be concreted, he said.

“Dako ang budget nga kinahanglan ana (We will need a bigger budget for this),” Jamora added.

Based on the PEO’s calculations last year, the Capitol will need to spend more than P5 billion to concrete 500 kilometers of roads. /