Australia turns over rehab roads to Bohol

TAGBILARAN CITY , Philippines— Australian Ambassador to the Philippines William “Bill” Twedell yesterday handed over to the Bohol provincial government the 14 rehabilitated road networks, damaged by the magnitude-7.2 earthquake that struck the province on October 15, 2013.

Governor Edgar Chatto received the completed projects during the turnover and inauguration rites at Barangay Hinawanan in Loay town, the factual site of the Sandugo (Blood Compact) between Datu Sikatuna and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, 450 years ago.

The event was also timely as Bohol marked Sandugo this year and 161st Foundation Day as a province, where the Australian ambassador was the guest of honor in the celebration held at the Bohol Cultural Center.

Twedell said he was impressed of what the Bohol people has done in responding to the calamities. He said: “The Boholanos are very resilient and I am very impressed by how quickly they got back on their feet following the earthquake and supertyphoon in 2013. They really take to heart the call to build back better and Australia is very proud to be their partner towards prosperity. Australia in fact has a long-standing partnership with Bohol, spanning more than 20 years.”

After the earthquake, the Australian government quickly responded by sending a team of engineers from the Provincial Road Management Facility to assist and conduct “a rapid assessment of the damaged provincial roads, which were critical to ensuring on-going access and service delivery to communities.”

The Australian government said the PRMF assisted the Bohol Provincial Engineering Office in designing and preparing the plans and documents for the rehabilitation of the damaged roads. “A total of 121.45 kilometers of roads were rehabilitated with P240.8 million (A$6.8 million) in assistance from Australia and 12 percent counterpart funding from the provincial government,” it said.

Among the road networks rehabilitated were: Calape-Panggangan road (17.174 kms); Poblacio-Lawin road in Inabanga town with 15 kms; Inabanga-Sagbayan via Lapacan-Magtangtang road (12.28 kms); Sikatuna-Sevilla via Camboac road (12.28 kms); Antequera-Balilihan Dorol road (10.150 kms); Sandingan-Tajang road in Loon (9.88 kms); and Sikatuna-Sevilla via Camboac road (9.291 kms).