ILOILO City – Secretary Mark Villar of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), along with some members of the Boracay Rehabilitation Task Force composed of secretary Roy Cimatu of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as the task force head, secretary Benjamin Diokno of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and secretary Silvestre Bello of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), recently checked the condition of major roads in Boracay Island, particularly the Boracay Circumferential Road.
During the inspection, the team saw the need for the collaborative effort in the rehabilitation, improvement and widening of the roads in the island to address issues on traffic congestion including flooding concerns.
Currently, the roads in the island are narrow due to structures closely built along carriageway; wherein vehicles, pedestrians, business and the public share the roads, causing traffic congestion.
Hence, as its humble contribution, the DPWH has requested funding from the DBM this year to jumpstart the rehabilitation project.
Villar overemphasized that in order to sustain the momentum; it is imperative that funds be released immediately to start the rehabilitation effort.
Villar also said that the continuous improvement of the entire road network will be included in the Region’s multi-year infrastructure program starting next year.
DPWH-6 assistant regional director Jose Al Fruto said that DPWH is extending assistance for the demolition/clearing of encroachment including removal of obstructions within the 12-meter road right-of-way along Boracay Circumferential Road to pave way for the widening project, to cover initially the length of 5.26 kilometers from Cagban Port to junction Mt. Luho.
Meantime, the DPWH is hastening the construction of the missing gap that will complete the whole stretch of Boracay Circumferential Road.
The construction of this missing link, with the allocation of P50 Million, involves the construction of 2-lane, 6-meter wide carriageway including curb and gutter, drainage, sidewalk and street lighting.
Fruto said that this project would help reduce traffic congestion along the main thoroughfare; reduce travel time from Jetty port to various areas in the island, vice versa; and promote a comfortable, safe and convenient travel.
“By completing the gap, the backdoor route of the circumferential road will be optimized, likewise serving as the logistics corridor for transport/delivery vehicles to ply in and out of the piers,” Fruto said.– dpwhr6/rpaio
