Tayud road, DPWH takes over widening project

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is taking over the Tayud-Consolacion-Liloan road widening project from the Province of Cebu.

DPWH-7 chief of the legal staff, Atty. Brando Ray Raya, discussed the matter with Governor Hilario Davide III during their meeting last Thursday, where he reported that the provincial road to be widened was already converted into a national road which jurisdiction is with the DPWH.

The project that was stalled for more than three years now would complement the P2.2-billion four-lane Cansaga Bay Bridge.

“The plan is, we will be the ones to implement the project already,” Raya told reporters.

The DPWH has allotted P150 million for the widening project which includes expropriation of 278 lots covering 158 parcels in Liloan and 120 parcels in Consolacion.

The first P50 million was downloaded to the Capitol during the time of then governor and now third district Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia.

Davide agreed on the taking over of the project considering the financial situation of the provincial government.

“Angay lang gyud pud nga ila,” he said.

Davide added that the Provincial Board is set to pass a resolution authorizing the DPWH to take over the project.

Even with negotiations having started since 2011, the DPWH has not pushed through with the project because owners of properties which will be affected with the road widening have not agreed to sign the final papers.

Last year, Garcia said that negotiations were already undergoing between the Provincial government and lot owners who would be affected by the expansion.

But when Garcia was suspended on December 2012, then acting governor and now Vice Governor Agnes Magpale said that this remains to be a problem since the lot owners are hesitant on signing the deed of sale as they informed Provincial Engineering office OIC Hector Jamora that they would want to see the check first amounting to P3.9 million.

Magpale said that they cannot possibly issue the payment first since their basis in preparing the check would be the signed documents of the lot owners.

The only thing lacking for the project to continue is the acquisition of the road right-of-way (RROW) which is vital since roads along the municipalities of Consolacion and Liloan are narrow. With the road widening, the two-lane road would be expanded to four lanes.

The North Cebu Coastal Road was built to ease traffic congestion along the national highway from Mandaue City to the northern part of the province.—(FREEMAN)