Gateway to progress

I have always believed that public service is its own reward; that in government nothing, almost nothing is impossible if you put your heart and mind to it.

Put your shoulder to the wheel and push it hard uphill, and you will reach the top, desolate the obstacles along the way.

In all my years in government as governor of Cebu, as congressman of more than 20 years and as mayor of Talisay City building roads, bridges, schools, colleges, hospitals, health centers and providing for livelihood projects for farmers, fishermen and the poor have always been my priorities.

But the project that gives me great personal pride and satisfaction, the project closest to my heart, one that I will do anything for, is the widening of the national road from Talisay City to Carcar City, from a two-lane to a  four-lane highway, Cebu South's Gateway to Progress.

The development of South Cebu was slow compared to the speed of economic activity in north Cebu.

The obvious reason was South Cebu did not have the physical infrastructure to encourage economic growth.

When I was elected congressman of the first district of Cebu in 1992, thru my initiative and my constant prodding, DPWH made plans to widen, from two-lane to four-lane, the national road from Bulacao, Talisay City to Naga City.

The gestation period in 1992, to the planning, construction and its completion in 2003, took eleven years, but it was well worth the wait and the effort.

The widening of the national road from Talisay City to Naga City was only the first half of my dream. The other half was the widening also from two-lane to four-lane the national road from Naga City to Carcar City.

If Cebu South is to move forward, access to its resources and its people should be made easier and faster.

The problem that constantly bugged my mind was, where will I get the funds for the road widening? And then luck smiled my way.

Early August 2011, right after the 4th P-Noy Sona, the Annual Budgetary Hearings of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives began.

DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson was on board with Appropriations Committee Chair, Cong. Jun Abaya presiding. I sought recognition of the Chair and prefaced my question by thanking the Secretary for granting my request of P28M for the road right of way to widen the two-lane Naga to Carcar Road to four-lanes.

My major reason was it is the only arterial highway to Cebu South. It will expand the growth of Metro Cebu and open the four cities and twenty towns of South Cebu to tremendous possibilities in industry, tourism, housing, trade and commerce.

It is not only an arterial highway used by Cebuanos but also by Boholanos, , and Negrenses, both Oriental and Occidental.

And importantly it partakes as an Intra-Regional Highway.

a)            Traders, merchants, students, workers cross from Lo-on, Bohol to Taloot, Argao and  on to Cebu City;

b)            Businessmen, students, workers from Tampi, Neg. Oriental cross to Bato, Samboan proceeds to Ronda crosses the mountain thru Langin, or to Dumanjug crosses the mountain thru Papan down Sibonga, or straight to Toledo City and cross country to Naga and would still use the highway to Cebu City.

c)            And since I can only avail of my P40M Hard Component of my PDAF, would Sec. Rogelio "Bebs" Singson be kind enough to allocate a good amount of his Department's savivngs to augment my meager amount.

d)            Sec. Singson replied: The DPWH family is award of the help of Cong. Gullas every time we appear before the CTE on Appropriation.

"If there are any of your colleagues willing to give you their savings, I, as Sec. of DPWH, will immediately approve it."

Cebu City Cong. Tomas Osmeña, who was seated near the Secretary  took the challenge and said, "Mr. Chairman, Mr. Secretary, I believe the project of Cong. Gullas is good for the city and province of Cebu. I therefore am happy to give the savings of P400M I have to him." (He forego constructing two flyovers @ P200M each in Cebu City.)

I immediately stood up, went over to the other side of the long table to get the hand of Cong. Tommy and thank him profusely for the noble gesture of the Cebuano leader.

Amidst the pandemonium, one can hear the voice of Cong. Salimbangon, "I too am willing to be a recipient of savings for my projects in my district."

One of the most serious roadblocks to the widening of the national highway to the South was the presence of around a hundred year old acacia trees, which need to be protected and preserved.

My stand from the very beginning has always been that the decision, should rest on two gov't dept's - DENR and DPWH. (Politicians better refrain from interfering. That's their mandate.)

While we respect the concerns of the two depts.., we urge the two secretaries - DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson and DENR Sec. Ramon Paje to please consider consulting a third party who is an authority on deceased trees, to do an independent investigation study on the remaining deceased trees in Naga City, 41 in San Fernando, and 4 in Carcar City.

UV students, teachers, and alumni commit to plant acacia trees on both sides of the new four-lane road, provided DENR supplies the planting materials.

The cost of the South road Widening (Natalio Bacalso Avenue) and Improvement from Tina-an, Naga City to Awayan, Carcar city is huge.

Cost   -- 1.025 B

Length  -- 16.8 km

6 Bridges  -- 269.0 M

37 Box Culver Bridges -- 270.622 M

Out of 400.0M Cong. Osmeña gave to Cong. Gullas

Bridges  -- 270.622M

Road  -- 23..378M

Carcar ByPass Road

Bridge  --  50.0M

Road  --  56.0M

Up to 2013 Cong. Gullas initiatives:

2011  --  36.0M

2012  --  50.0m

2013 --  50.0M

2014  --  100.0M

Assistant Majority Leader Cong. Samsam Gullas is committed to secure the needed funds to complete the project, and hopefully up to Sibonga. Like his grandfather public service is his be all to his constituency. Cebu's Gateway to Progress will become, in due time, a reality. A testament to dedicated and enduring public service.