DPWH bares 2014 accomplishments in ZamPen

PAGADIAN CITY, Jan. 23 (PIA) – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-IX reported that it has implemented a total of 1,860 current and carry-over projects amounting to P16.771 billion of which 1,412 projects were completed in 2014.

Regional Director Jorge Sebastian Jr. in his report to Secretary Rogelio Singson disclosed that major part of the total budget was allotted for the construction and improvement of roads, highways and bridges amounting to P1.3 billion with 607 projects completed.

Other projects implemented and completed were the 168 flood control and drainage projects worth P115.463 million, construction of elementary and secondary school buildings worth P965.712 million and P280.629 million for hospitals and health centers of which 674 and 47 projects were completed, respectively.

Sebastian said the new road opening for the Zamboanga City by-pass road, which is now 62 percent complete, is among the 2014 significant accomplishments of the department in the region.

Another road project linking east to the west coast through barangays Patalon to Culianan - upon completion the project - will decongest traffic within the Zamboanga City proper and will provide the neighboring cities of Dipolog, Pagadian and other municipalities in the region a direct trade route to the Zamboanga Free Port Zone, Sebastian added.

This road project received initial funding of P310 million and subsequently allotted a total amount of P750 million for phases 2 and 3, he said.

With the massive destruction brought by the 23-day armed conflict in 2013 in the city, DPWH was at the forefront in building back better Zamboanga  with 19 ongoing projects and an accomplishment of 32.47 percent in the implementation of Zamboanga City Roadmap to Recovery and Reconstruction (Z3R), the report reveals.

On the other hand, under the Transition Investment Support Program (ISP) for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), all 10 projects were completed amounting to P1,216 billion, Sebastian said.

DPWH-IX manages a total of 1,620.387 kilometers of national roads with 972.25 kilometers concrete, 398.282 kilometers asphalt, 262.821 kilometers gravel and 7.007 kilometers earth.

The total road length includes newly converted Zamboanga del Sur coastal road with a length of 125.883 kilometers. The total length of gravel road was increased by more than 44 kilometers due to additional road length of Zamboanga West Coast Road to include 19.181-kilometer Siocon-Sirawai-Sibuco-Limpapa road and 25.493-kilometer Imelda-Bayog-Kumalarang-Lapuyan-Margosatubig road.

And a total 300 existing bridges with a length of 12,576.90 lineal meters consisting of 231 concrete, 68 steel and 1 temporary bridge.