Mobilization of three (3) groups of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) contractors started simultaneously on Friday, September 6, 2019 in moving forward the reconstruction/rehabilitation of 18.97 kilometers Transcentral Roads funded by Official Development Assistance(ODA) of the Government of Japan in the Islamic City of Marawi, Lanao Del Sur.
“It’s all systems go for the rehabilitation of Marawi Roads with essential heavy equipment working on multi-site preparatory works”, said DPWH Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations and Technical Services Emil K. Sadain as he witnessed with Marawi City Mayor Majul Usman Gandamra, Lanao del Sur Vice Governor Mujam Raki-in Adiong, Task Force Bangon Marawi Assistant Secretary Frederick Castro and retired General John Dominic Pulido of the office of Secretary Mark A. Villar the actual commencement of civil work activities.
In his report to DPWH Secretary Villar, Undersecretary Sadain said that three (3) contract packages of civil works activities for stage 1 construction of Transcentral Roads now moving are CP-1A with two (2) road sections and total length of 9.41 kilometers awarded to Unimasters Conglomeration, Inc./M.M.A. Achiever Const. & Dev’t Corp./CDH Construction/Flying Seven Construction (JV) represented by Farrah Mangondato; CP-1B with five (5) road sections and total length of 5.45 kilometers under contract with Al Hussein Const. / N.B. Sabo Const. (JV) represented by Cocoy Dalidig; and CP-2 with two (2) road sections and total length of 4.11 kilometers under contractor Odin and Lani Kouzbary of Kouzbary Builders.
Undersecretary Sadain, DPWH Focal Person in the Inter-Agency Task Force Bangon Marawi, said that it is very rewarding to see that a project like this come to fruition in support for the President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s Bangon Marawi rehabilitation and recovery plan with project activities come to life and the people knowing that the national government thru DPWH is walking the talk and making a difference now in the thrust to rebuilt the conflict–torn Marawi City and its surrounding areas by improving road access to developing new economic centers and viable living spaces.
Contract for road paving with 280 millimeter thick two (2) lanes portland concrete cement is estimated for CP-1A to take about two (2) months detailed design preparation and 21 months construction while CP-1B and CP-2 both have 14 months contract duration with two (2) months intended for detailed design and 12 months civil works.
The stage 1 rehabilitation of Marawi Transcentral Roads amounting P970 Million funded by a grant from Japanese government was officially launched with a ceremonial groundbreaking during the first quarter of 2019 by President Duterte represented by DPWH Secretary Villar and Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Concern and Muslim Affairs Secretary Abdullah Mama-o with Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda andJapan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Yoshio Wada also in attendance.
The detailed engineering design for stage 2 Transcentral Roads, consisting of 13 road sections, is also included in the Japanese grant.
Assigned by Secretary Villar and Undersecretary Sadain to supervise and monitor implementation of this JICA-funded Marawi reconstruction and development projects are DPWH UPMO Roads Management Cluster 1 Director Virgilio Castillo, Project Manager Francisco Sawali, Marawi City rehabilitation action officer Assistant Director Honorato Saldua Jr., overall project coordinator Assistant Director Botoanun Baunto, Engineer Neijam Langa and Project Engineers Yacob Mambuay, Reyderick Siozon and Subhair Pasandalan.
A DPWH Traffic Management Plan with many different options studied by the contractors and consultant Woodfields Design Inc. was discussed with the LGU of Marawi City.
Traffic advisories in tarpaulin were also installed to ensure that the traveling public, city government and stakeholders are well informed of the work being performed and the related road lane closures.
According to Undersecretary Sadain, the project is first of the other significant development projects that DPWH will be implementing in Marawi City and its surrounding areas within the next four (4) years to ensure better mobility that will propel economic activity as people including the internally displaced persons are regaining back their lives.
Financing for the Marawi Transcentral Roads stage 2 with total length of 21 kilometers together with the 19.8 kilometers Marawi City Ring Road are included in the P14 Billion JICA loan signed on June 18, 2019 under the Road Network Development Project in Conflict-Affected Areas in Mindanao or RNDP-CAAM which also includes the construction of new roads to link inaccessible communities of Maguindanao Province that will contribute to the consolidation of peace in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region particularly the 35 kilometers Parang - Balabagan Road, 7 kilometers Parang East Diversion Road, and 16.8 kilometers Manuangan-Parang Road.
Also, Undersecretary Sadain said that the approved loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) will fund civil works for Transcentral Roads stage 3 with a total length of 24 kilometers targeted to commence by 2020 including construction of 1.6 kilometer Malabang Viaduct, construction of three (3) bridges along Rorogagus Road, and five (5) other projects listed under the Bangon Marawi Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan.
The construction of a new Grand Mosque also known as Islamic Center as an important place of worship which will cost about P245 Million is open for possible ODA financing, added Sadain.