561 residents benefit from P11-M village road in south Negros

BACOLOD CITY — Some 561 residents in a remote village of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental are benefiting from the PHP11.28-million road concreting project implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The newly-concreted road, constructed by Negros Occidental’s 3rd District Engineering Office, has provided a conducive and faster transport of goods and services for the people of Sitio Lowag in Barangay Locotan in Kabankalan City.

District Engineer Haydee Alunan, in a statement on Wednesday, said the project has been funded under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program initiated by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

The newly-concreted road leading to Sitio Lowag in Barangay Locotan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental provides a conducive and faster transport of goods and services for the people living in the far-flung area.
*Photo from DPWH Negros Occidental, Third District Engineering Office*

“This is one of the infrastructure projects implemented to lessen the insurgency cases in winning the long-lasting peace process anchored on the PAMANA program,” Alunan said.

The project involves the concrete paving of 718 lineal meters of road with five-meter wide portland concrete cement pavement, including pipe culverts and grouted riprap.

Alunan said the project provides a better road network in isolated and vulnerable areas in Kabankalan City due to insurgency problems.

Last month, DPWH 6 (Western Visayas) also announced another project in southern Negros, the construction of an academic building at the Hinigaran National High School in Hinigaran town.

The project is being implemented by Negros Occidental’s 2nd District Engineering Office headed by District Engineer Randolfo Melosantos in convergence with the Department of Education.

Melosantos said earlier the PHP45.154-million project involves the construction of a four-story, 20-classroom building.

He added that the project is expected to be completed in August to serve the increasing number of senior high school students. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1061767

More road networks needed in west Visayas: DOT exec

BACOLOD CITY — More road networks should be established in Western Visayas to boost the region’s tourism industry, a Department of Tourism (DOT) official has said.

DOT-6 Regional Director Helen Catalbas said in a statement on Tuesday there were 168 proposed tourism road projects in Western Visayas last year.

Of which, 79 projects totaling PHP2.48 billion were included in the 2018 General Appropriations Act (GAA). A total of PHP520 million worth of projects are in Negros Occidental, including one amounting to PHP90 million in Bacolod City.

“These road projects make more tourism destinations accessible to tourists and provide livelihood in the community,” Catalbas said.

As tourism facilities begin to emerge with the influx of tourists, the DOT has recognized that strong road networks often lead to better economy, she added.

Catalbas said air, land and sea connectivity is one of the competitive advantages of Western Visayas, adding that micro, small and medium enterprises are also getting a boost from investments pouring in.

“The strengthened linkage of Western Visayas to more major hubs in the Philippines made the region accessible to more domestic and foreign tourists,” she added.

In 2017, tourist arrivals in Western Visayas reached 5.8 million, with tourism receipts, or amount of spending, worth PHP128.45 billion.

This coming Jan. 29, the DOT-Department of Public Works and Highways Convergence Program on Tourism Road Infrastructure Projects (TRIP) will hold a regional consultative workshop in Iloilo City.

During the activity, the previous year’s accomplishments and updates on pending and upcoming projects will be presented.

For 2019, there are 142 proposed road projects from different legislative districts in the region.

In Negros Occidental alone, there are 11 projects funded under the last year’s GAA and will be included in the assessment.

These are comprised mostly of construction, rehabilitation and upgrading of roads in the cities of Talisay, Cadiz, Sagay, Kabankalan and Sipalay, and town of Binalbagan with an initial appropriation of PHP420 million. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1059077