DPWH Budget for First District of Zamboanga del Sur increases this 2014

By JONG CADION

PAGADIAN City, ZamboSur (January 20, 2014) – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) First Engineering District budget had increased for this year to P775-Million from P629-Million.

The P775 million is under the regular budget intended for the continuation of some projects that implemented last year and other projects to be implemented for this year 2014. The maintenance funds are not included in the regular budget, First Engineering District head Engr. Reynerio P. Alcachupas said.                                   

Out of P775 million budget, P365 million will be implemented by the DPWH regional office and the remaining P410 million will be under taken by the First Engineering District Office, Engineer Alcachupas added.    

Compared to last year out of P629 million budget, P541 million was implemented by his Office and only P88 million were undertaken by the Regional Office, Engr. Alcachupas said.

Included in the project for this year is the widening of Barangay Balangasan Bridge in Pagadian City in the amount of 25 million pesos Balangasan Bridge. The bridge will be widened by one lane both sides, Engr. Alcachupas added.

Also included in the project is the implementation of concreting on the non-pave old national highways from Tukuran to Aurora and from Aurora toward the Switch Ramon Magasaysay. These two portions had already started last 2011 and soon are completed on 2015, Engr. Alcachupas said.

The widening of national highway along Bulatoc District going to the Airport intersection in Brgy Tiguma also in the list that will be completed this year, Engr. Alcachupas said.

According to Engr. Alcachupas more than 60 kilometers out of more than 240 kilometers of national highway in the First Congressional District of Zamboanga del Sur were still non-pave. These will soon be completed on 2016 as planned or programmed by DPWH.

These non-pave roads are mostly newly converted into secondary national highways from provincial road, Engr. Alcachupas said.

These secondary national highway was started last year and that will soon be completed on 2016 is the portion Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur that will connect to Siayan, Zamboanga del Norte.

While the portion from Josefina, Zamboanga del Sur that will connect to Zamboanga del Norte will be completed on the first quarter of this year.

Another secondary road is the ongoing concreting of Ramon Magsaysay going to Midsalip of this province that was started on 2010 and will also be completed soon on 2016.