ZAMBOANGA, AGUSAN, BUKIDNON

Still another — the Zamboanga City Bypass Road — is a 36.77-km project that will link Zamboanga City’s east and west coasts.

Aside from the road component, the project will also see construction of six bridges.

The project costs around P2.23 billion — to be funded by the national budget — and is expected to be finished in December 2018.

On the other hand, the 57 km East-West Lateral Road project — which will also have six bridges — will connect the provinces of Agusan del Sur and Bukidnon. Construction of the road — targeted to be opened to the public in April — will cost P4.87 billion.

BRIDGES

Meanwhile, the P400-million Pinguiaman Bridge in Sultan Kudarat will be 600 meters long and is one of the alternate routes going to Cotabato City and Midsayap, North Cotabato.

Ms. Jimeno said the route can also be used going to other municipalities in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat.

The Panguil Bay Bridge, for its part, spans 3.48 kilometers and, once completed, will connect the city of Tagum in Misamis Occidental and municipality of Tubod in Lanao del Norte.

The project is funded under a loan agreement with the Korean Economic Development Cooperation, and is expected to be completed in December 2020.

SECURITY THREAT

Despite the ambitious plans of the government in the “land of the promise,” hurdles are inevitable, Ms. Jimeno said.

“One main issue that we’re currently facing in pushing through with our projects is the security threat brought about by the terrorists and rebels,” she said, citing the recently concluded siege in Marawi City.

The five-month battle against the Islamic State-inspired militants have not only cost lives of soldiers and civilians, but has also displaced more than 350,000 people and reduced the city into rubbles.

In a separate interview, DPWH Undersecretary for Visayas and Mindanao Operations Rafael C. Yabut said the final master plan of the Marawi rehabilitation will be implemented after the post-conflict assessment has been accomplished.

“As of to-date, the post-conflict needs assessment for Marawi City and other affected localities is still ongoing,” Mr. Yabut said in an e-mail.

“DPWH is actively involved in the quick-response activities to improve living conditions of the internally displaced persons in various evacuation centers.”

Mr. Yabut added that the department is also developing the site that will house transitional shelters in Sagonsongan, Marawi in collaboration with the National Housing Authority and local governments among others.

Aside from the construction of transitional shelters, the DPWH intends to accomplish the following projects for Marawi next year:

• demolition, clearing and hauling of debris from Marawi City to designated disposal areas after construction of access roads leading to these areas;

• repair of damaged roads and bridges, such as crack and joint resealing, pothole patching, lane markings, painting of bridges and drainage de-clogging;

• major repair, rehabilitation and construction of school buildings ( in coordination with the Department of Education);

• and construction of the city public market.

NEW CITIES

For architect and urban planner Felino A. Palafox Jr., the government should build new hubs outside Marawi, while the city is being rehabilitated.

“We [should] create new cities outside Marawi — new cities that are master- planned, Islamic… smart, safe and sustainable,” Mr. Palafox said in an interview.

Mr. Palafox noted that, after the second world war, new cities outside heavily damaged Manila, such as Makati, were developed to supplement the old city. “While reconstructing Manila, the fourth most devastated [city] in the world, seven kilometers away, there’s Makati.”

Mr. Palafox added that some of Marawi’s ruins should be left to serve as a memorial.

“The cross-section of the roads should be a third for trees and landscaping, a third for pedestrians and bicycles, and a third for the moving traffic lanes,” he said, adding that power lines should run underground since overhead networks “makes our cities ugly and hazardous.”

And in order to deter terrorists and criminals, “[i]f possible, no high [and] concrete walls.”

“The high walls hid the rebels during the conflict. Beyond the walls, there were armories, tunnels and even [a narcotics] factory,” Mr. Palafox added. —