Fourth district Rep. Raul Villareal said House Bill 625 entitled "An Act Constituting the Fourth Congressional District in the Province of Nueva Ecija into a separate District Engineering Office" which he authored, was passed without objections.
The committees on public works and highways and appropriations also approved an amendment which states that the Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shall include in its program the funding requirements for the operationalization of the 3rd District Engineering Office.
Villareal expressed confidence that the bill will breeze through the third and final hearing.
Under HB 625, a separate engineering district is being pushed to cover the municipalities of San Leonardo, Jaen, San Isidro, Cabiao, San Antonio, Peñaranda, Gen. Tinio and Gapan City.
At present, there are two district engineering offices of the DPWH in the province. The DPWH 1st Nueva Ecija Engineering District is based in Talavera town, whose district engineer is Engr. Pacifico Berin.
The DPWH 2nd Nueva Ecija Engineering District based in Barangay San Isidro, Cabanatuan City is headed by its district engineer Angelito Twaño. – Manny Galvez