The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office 8 will implement a total of 834 infrastructure projects region-wide amounting to P23-B for FY 2017 based on General Appropriation Act (GAA).
Along with its 12 District Engineering offices, Regional Office 8 has already completed pre-detailed engineering (PDE) for 621 while 146 projects are undergoing PDE. A total of 670 projects are with on-going pre-construction while 586 of all 834 projects were already bid out.
“Since the deadline of the agency for concrete paving of all national highways has been met in 2016, the focus is now on widening of primary roads from Allen-Calbayog-Catbalogan-Sta. Rita Road and Tacloban down to Southern Leyte Road,” said Assistant Director Virgilio C. Eduarte.
He added that the standard widening for a lane is not less than 3 meters.
Under the 2017 General Appropriation Act, the Regional Office VIII in Baras, Palo, Leyte alone is tasked to implement 66 infra projects amounting to P5.6-B – of which 32 projects amounts to P150-M above each project while 34 projects are worth P50-M or below.
Some of these are carry-over projects from previous years like sub-sections of Road Heightening and Tide Embankment Project which has been perennially delayed due to Road Right of Way (RROW) issues.