PAGBILAO, Quezon—A much-awaited P330.5-million diversion road project here starts construction with the groundbreaking rites held in Barangay Del Carmen last Friday.
Quezon Reps. Angelina Tan of the Fourth District and Katrina Enverga of the First District led the short groundbreaking program that signaled the start of the construction of the 5.75-kilometer-long road project expected to reduce by about 40 percent the vehicular traffic along the Maharlika South Road and especially to the town proper.
Celestial Flancia, who heads the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Fourth District Engineering Office, said the project site is within the First District of the province, but has been under the jurisdiction of the Fourth District.
During the program, Tan thanked Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar for granting her request to release the P112.643-million initial fund for the project.
She said it was the worsening traffic problem in the town proper that prompted her to cook up the idea of the road project with the help of Flancia and her husband, DPWH- Region 1 Director Ronnel Tan, who once served as district engineer during the term of her predecessor in the district.
Citing the significance and many advantages of the project once completed, Tan asked the four barangay captains within the entire project area to cooperate and assist the DPWH.
“To our village heads, please help our coworkers in the DPWH while doing the project,” Tan said.
Flancia said the project will start in Barangay Talipan and will end in Barangay Ikirin toward Bicol and will provide a new access road in the area and function as a support infrastructure to complement development growth.
She said the proposed bypass road has an estimated length of 5.75 km and a 6.7-km-wide carriageway. Being situated within the Calabarzon region growth area, Flancia said it is the only road leading to Bicol, the Visayas and Mindanao.
The DPWH official said it will have significance in terms of economic and tourism activities. The project will whittle down travel time and transportation cost for the masses.
Also present during the program were Pagbilao, Quezon Mayor Shierre Ann Palicpic, DPWH Assistant Regional Director Yolanda Tanco, Construction Division chief Julieta Deseo, First Engineering District chief Salvador Salvaña, members of the Sangguniang Bayan and Sangguniang Barangays and other guests.
Image credits: John Bello