Capitol to pay for right-of-way

CEBU, Philippines - As required by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Provincial Government will pay for the road-right-of-way for the expansion and upgrading of the Tayud-Consolacion-Liloan Road.

DPWH has allocated P150 million for civil works for the road, but Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said Capitol will pay for the lot, which will be used in the expansion.

“As far as RROW (road-right-of-way) is concerned, nagpatabang ta sa DPWH kay sila may dunay proper experience ani, but ang province mao’y mu-take care sa RROW,” Garcia said.

DPWH said earlier it will not use its funds for the RROW because the Tayud-Consolacion-Liloan Road is a provincial road.

This matter, Garcia said, has already been settled in a meeting with DPWH-7 Director Pedro Herrera but the Regional Development Committee has yet to give an update.

“The project is implemented by Cebu because that is the premise by which the DPWH agreed to download the fund to Cebu,” Garcia said.

In fact, she said, the construction resumed yesterday.

Provincial Engineer Eulogio Pelayre said they are now concreting the 900-meter road, which is the first of the two-phase project. They target to finish the first phase by December.

The second phase will be a 5.5 kilometer-long road. As soon as the first phase is done, Garcia said the P100 million remaining budget for the second phase will be disbursed. A memorandum of agreement has also been signed.

The provincial government, Garcia said, will convert the two-lane road to a four-lane road, applying the national standards for highways.

Right now, Garcia said they are tapping mayors and barangay captains whose jurisdictions are traversed by the road to help in dealing with lot owners who will be affected by the expansion.

“They will agree to the assessment kay if di pud, kahibaw na man ta we can resort to expropriation. Rest assured sad that they will be paid by the province,” Garcia said.

Garcia said the provincial government offered to implement the project because they see that the government can maximize the available funds to achieve more.

“Kay if imo ning ipakontrata, not less than siguro 35 percent matangtang na para sa contractor’s profit, contingencies, ug uban pa na mga indirect costs,” Garcia said. (FREEMAN)