The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced that civil works for three Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded road projects in Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Norte are in advance stages of completion.
In his report to DPWH Acting Secretary Roger G. Mercado, undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations Emil K. Sadain said that accelerated completion of the 68.78-kilometer core road projects under ADB’s Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project will be achieved by the first half of 2022.
Undersecretary Sadain carried out inspection of the flagship infrastructure projects implemented by DPWH UPMO—Roads Management Cluster 2 (RMC 2—Multilateral) and instructed anew the contractors and consultants to ensure quality of work and expeditious completion of the project.
The inspection was conducted in response to Mercado’s instruction to monitor and fast-track the completion of flagship projects, especially in far-flung areas to promote inclusive development.
The joint inspection team of Undersecretary Sadain, Undersecretary Eugenio R. Pipo Jr. and Assistant Secretary Ador G. Canlas of Regional Operations in Mindanao, UPMO RMC 2 Project Director Sharif Madsmo Hasim, Region 9 Director Cayamombao D. Dia, and Project Managers Soledad Florencio and Emmanuel Supe checked the progress of the 15.35-kilometer Tampilisan-Sandayong Road with three bridges in Zambonga del Norte, which is 86 percent completed and target for full completion by January 2022.
Other core road projects located in Zamboanga Sibugay Province includes the 23.43-kilometer Alicia-Malangas Road with eight bridges at 74 percent; and 29.70-kilometer Lutiman-Guicam-Olutanga Road at 69 percent.
The team also proceeded with the inspection of 24.52-kilometer R.T. Lim-Siocon Road with eight bridges, a non-core road project in Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Norte which was started in February 2021.
With more than 80 equipment on the ground, this section has already accomplished 14 percent of activities mainly on earthworks and slope protection.