Funds for widening will stay despite delay

CEBU, Philippines - Despite the delay in the implementation of the M.J. Cuenco road widening project, former Cebu City North District Rep. Raul del Mar remains optimistic that the money intended for it will not be reverted to the national treasury.

Del Mar vowed to fight it out to keep the funds and finish the project.

“After working so hard in getting that funding...I don’t think we’ll just easily let it go. We’ve been working to have the budget obligated so that the money will not be reverted,” said del Mar in an interview.

Del Mar, who was proponent of this project, said the Department of Public Works and Highways is doing its part as project implementor hence he is positive that “they’ll be able to complete the process to prevent the reversion.”

The 912-meter four-lane highway traversing Barangays Carreta, Hipodromo and Mabolo was already allocated P150 million by the Department of Budget and Management. However, numerous complaints from the affected residents have stalled the implementation of the project raising fears that the budget will go back to the national government.

But Del Mar said he does not think it will come to that point, as his daughter, Rep. Rachel “Cutie” del Mar, has been “bringing this issue to the DPWH and the DBM.”

He explained that since the funds could not be re-aligned for other projects, it could still be used for any other “passes” or roads as long as it is in the same area.

The M.J. Cuenco road widening project, after years of planning, is still on its public consultation phase. Last Friday, during the fourth consultation with the residents of Mabolo, a number of residents expressed their rejection to cut a portion of their property for the road and pedestrian lane.

This in spite of the assurance from del Mar and the DPWH that they will reduce the 20-meter width of the road to only 17 meters.

According to the residents interviewed by The FREEMAN, that would still not save their houses from destruction.— (FREEMAN)