In Tudela, Camotes: Capitol shells out P36M for projects

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu provincial government poured at least P36 million worth of infrastructure projects and heavy equipment in Tudela town, Camotes Island.

The projects include a P15 million worth road link, a unit of backhoe worth P4 million, four small farm tractors totaling P600,000, and one corn mill at P100,000.

The heavy equipment were turned over by Governor Hilario Davide III to the town last week. The governor also inspected the ongoing construction of the farm-to-market road in Barangay Hermosa which is expected to hasten the transportation of farm products in the town.

 The road connects Barangay Hermosa to Puertobello Port, a gateway to Pilar town, which is situated in a separate island. It also provides another link from Tudela to the municipality of Poro via Barangay Esperanza.

Apart from the roads, a trading center in Barangay Hermosa worth P500,000 was also constructed by the Provincial Engineering Office, and a two-classroom school building worth P1.2 million at Puertobello Elementary School.

Vice Mayor Greeman Solante reported that some classrooms in the school accommodate beyond their capacity. For example, he said, some 90 pupils in Grade 6 are sharing one classroom.

The construction of two classrooms can now accommodate the number of Grade 6 pupils which were divided into three sections.

The projects were either Capitol-implemented or by the municipal government through the funds downloaded by the Capitol.

Mayor Erwin Yu, who expressed gratitude for the funds shelled out by the Capitol, disclosed that since Davide’s assumption in 2013, the town already received P36 million financial aid granted upon their request.

He said they were able to buy an ambulance, secure irrigation projects, among others from the assistance.

He added that the savings from the financial aid contributed to the construction of the ramp of the roll-on/roll-off port in Barangay Puertobello.

“When the MB Kim Nirvana sank in the waters of Ormoc City, I requested Jomalia Shipping to sail a Roro vessel between the seas of mainland Camotes to Pilar, and Pilar to Ormoc, and vice versa. But at that time we didn’t have a Roro port, that is why we built a ramp here,” Yu said in a report published by the Provincial Information Office.

The total project cost for the port is P1.3 million.

Jomalia Shipping provides a round trip daily from Puertobello, Tudela to Pilar to Ormoc City and then back to Pilar and Tudela.— /ATO (FREEMAN)