DPWH opens widened Angat Bridge along Arterial Bypass Road in Bulacan
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO--The eight-kilometer long Calaoacan Irrigation Pipeline System in Barangay Burgos, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija is now operational, after it was inaugurated on Thursday by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Central Luzon and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under the Forestland Management Program (FMP).
According to Paquito Moreno, Jr., executive director of DENR in Central Luzon, the P9.4 million irrigation system was funded by JICA as an agroforestry support facility (ASF) for the 10-year Forest Land Management Project (FMP) in the more than 44,000-hectare Pantabangan-Carranglan Watershed that will ensure the survival of forest plantations during dry months. It will also strengthen the resiliency of local communities in the area in the face of global warming and climate change.
BUSTOS, Bulacan -The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced the opening of an expanded 2.22-kilometer section of Arterial Plaridel Bypass Road including one of Luzon’s longest bridge across Angat River in Bustos, Bulacan.
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said the additional two new lanes will enhance transport capacity of the bypass road as it has been experiencing traffic growth with increasing number of motorists going to the eastern part of Bulacan and Nueva Ecija.
The widened section is part of the Arterial Road Bypass ProjectPhase 3 funded by a loan agreement between the Government of the Philippines and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain and officials of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines led by Economic Affairs Minister Masahiro Nakata, JICA Philippines Chief Representative Ei go Azukizawa, and JICA Senior Representative
Kenji Kuronuma made a final inspection on Friday of the expanded section before opening the completed additional two lanes to vehicular traffic.
“The widened section consists of 1.12 kilometer-Angat Bridge, 40.86 meter-Tambubong Bridge and 1.06 kilometer-road section are all under the Contract Package 3 of Arterial Road Bypass Project Phase 3 which involves the widening of the entire 24.61 kilometer stretch of the Plaridel Bypass Road from the Balagtas area of the North Luzon Expressway
all the way to San Rafael in Bulacan,” Sadain said.
As more motorists opted to use the Plaridel Bypass Road, a two-lane bridge was constructed adjacent to the bridge which was completed in May 2018 to increase carrying capacity and improve traffic flow per direction. Capacity improvement works are also ongoing in other
contract packages implemented by DPWH Unified Project Management Office Roads Management Cluster 1 (Bilateral). (PIA 3)
The irrigation system, composed of seven water tanks connected by eight kilometers of pipes, is expected to provide water to over 850 hectares of forest plantations and agroforestry farms and will benefit 900 families of upland farmers.
DENR- Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Joselito Blanco , turned over the said water system to the care of the people of Sitio Calaoacan in Burgos village. Meanwhile, Mayor Mary Abad of Carranglan said that they are committed to sustain the irrigation system and ensure that it will benefit more generations to come.
The Calaoacan Irrigation Pipeline System is the fourth major agroforestry support facility in Carranglan town funded by JICA in two years after the three concrete and hanging bridges in Pantabangan and Carranglan town.