Fresh from monitoring flagship infrastructure projects in Northern Mindanao, top officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) wasted no time and proceeded to Western Mindanao to ensure the continued delivery and accomplishment of priority programs and projects with the year 2021 already winding down.
Latest policy instructions of Acting Secretary Roger G. Mercado were discussed by DPWH Undersecretaries Emil K. Sadain and Eugenio R. Pipo Jr., and Assistant Secretary Ador G. Canlas as they visit together with Region 9 Director Cayamombao D. Dia the District Engineering Offices (DEOs) of Zamboanga Del Sur First in Pagadian City, Zamboanga Del Sur; Zamboanga Sibugay Second in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay Province; and the Zamboanga City District Office.
In his message, Undersecretary Sadain, in-charge of DPWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations, cascaded Secretary Mercado’s policy on hardwork where the DPWH Chief wants every officials and employees to exert the fullest effort to gets every job done.
The Secretary also wants DPWH to be more proactive by showing the responsiveness in any situation where the Department can be of service to the people. Lastly, he want the DPWH men and women to be patriotic public servants who are disciplined in order to help the country move ahead and calls for teamwork to unite everyone towards achieving the organizational goals, added Undersecretary Sadain.
Meanwhile, Undersecretary Pipo who together with Assistant Secretary Canlas are in-charge of the Regional Operations in Mindanao lauded DPWH Region 9 for the exemplary performance of the Regional Office and the DEOs, performing at par with the other DPWH implementing offices nationwide in terms of Absorptive Capacity for the third quarter of 2021.
Undersecretary Pipo also expressed his heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to DPWH Region 9 for sustaining the momentum and vowed that Secretary Mercado will sooner join them in checking progress of development projects in Zamboanga.
The visiting DPWH officials checked some of Regional and District implemented infrastructure projects, among which are the Imelda-Bayog-Lakewood-Tubod Route and Diplo-Bayog-Lakewood-Tubod Route; construction of flood mitigation structure along Kabasalan River in Kabalan, Zamboanga Sibugay; and Buenavista - Bolong Coastal Bypass Road in Zamboanga City.
The flood control structure with a total length of 6,302 lineal meters will reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters and avert damages to property and to prevent injury or loss of lives. It will also lessen destruction of crops and loss of livestock; eases contamination and pollution cause by flood waters and reduce negative impact on the environment.
On the otherhand, the Buenavista - Bolong Coastal road project will serve as an alternate road to existing N1 road known as the Pagadian City - Zamboanga City Road.
The road project begins at Brgy. Buenavista passing through coastal barangays such as Muti, Dita, Panubigan, and will terminate at Brgy. Bolong, Zamboanga City.
Once fully completed, this will cut from 60 minutes to 15 minutes travel time between Buenavista and Bolong and is projected to benefit about 4,200 travelers motorists per day.
The new alternate route will also mitigate traffic congestion in the existing roads and trigger development opportunities in the area.