ARMM pushes completion of ‘Dream Road 2’ project

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, May 28 (PNA) -- The Department of Public Works and Highways in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DPWH-ARMM) has allocated PhP250 million for the construction of the 32-kilometer Kapai-Upper Tagoloan road.

Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. told the Philippines News Agency (PNA) the construction of the 32-kilometer road will begin next month. The construction of the Kapai-Lower Tagoloan section is ongoing.

The 32-kilometer stretch is part of the 65-kilometer Marawi-Kapai-Tagoloan-Talakag, Bukidnon road construction. It is to be completed in 2019.

Adiong said the road project dubbed as “Dream Road 2” will connect this city and the towns of Kapai and Tagoloan to the province of Bukidnon through the municipality of Talakag.

Adiong said the road, once completed, will serve as an alternate route and would shorten the travel time to one-and-a-half hour to Cagayan de Oro City coming from this city.

Adiong, who visited the road project on Friday, said the travel time at present is three-hours from this city to Cagayan de Oro City via the city of Iligan.

Adiong said the completion of the road will also hasten the transport of goods and other products to this province from Cagayan de Oro City and vice-versa.

He disclosed that the DPWH-ARMM has spent PhP111 million for the road rehabilitation and construction of Kapai section while DPWH Region 10 has allotted PhP75 million from this year’s budget for the ongoing construction of the Lower Tagoloan section.

He said ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman has entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the provincial government and allocated additional PhP230 million for the “Dream Road 2,” the construction of which is ongoing.

Engineer Mickey Macabantog of DPWH Region 10 said they have also requested additional PhP250,000 to be included in the 2017 national budget for the full completion of the road project.

Mayor Misangcad Capal of the nearby town of Tagoloan said the full completion of the Dream Road 2 project will benefit his constituents.

Dulce Capal, Tagoloan Liga ng mga Barangay president, said the completion of the road would provide easy access to the students in going to school.

“At present, they have to climb steep mountains on foot just to go to school,” Capal said.

Tagoloan Councilor Simpanoray Sarip said it is only during the administration of President Benigno Simeon Aquino, III that development projects, such as the Dream Road 2, have reached their place. (PNA)
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