TABUK CITY, Kalinga – More than P1 billion worth of infrastructure projects are currently being implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways – Lower Kalinga District Engineering Office (DPWH-LKDEO) within its area of jurisdiction for the current year.
DPWH-LKDEO District Engineer Ruby Uyam said the various projects being implemented within the agency’s area of jurisdiction is close to 70 percent complete with the hope that most of the programmed road, bridge and flood control projects, including the various local infrastructure projects, will be completed by the end of the year.
However, she admitted that the possibility of completing the projects by the end of the year will be difficult because bulk of the funds amounting to over P702 million was released only last September and the contractors are catching up on their projected accomplishments.
The DPWH-LKDEO official stated for this year, the approved projects for the district under the government’s national expenditure program (NEP) is around P1.56 billion where some P373.9 million was subjected to comprehensive release and some P1.19 billion was labelled for later release.
For next year, Uyam disclosed that more than P1.475 billion worth of infrastructure projects had been included in the NEP inclusive of some P488 million worth of infrastructure projects that was part of the projects for later release this year.
According to her, the major road, bridge and flood control projects undergoing implementation and those to be implemented in the different parts of Tabuk City and the towns of Pinukpuk, Tanudan and Rizal is geared towards improving the state of infrastructure leading to the rural areas to help spur economic activities and provide adequate sources of livelihood for the people.
Uyam claimed that all the various projects being implemented in the various parts of the city and municipalities within its jurisdiction are being closely monitored to ensure the compliance of the contractors to the prescribed plans and specifications to avoid poor workmanship of the infrastructure projects.
She said the inclusion of the unimplemented projects that were subjected to for later release in next year’s budget will be implemented because most of the projects are high-impact development projects that will significantly impact on the efforts of the government to improve the infrastructure in the countryside and bring to the rural communities’ opportunities for development.
The DPWH-LKDEO district engineer agreed that a good state of infrastructure in the countryside will entice businesses to invest and thus create jobs in their proposed areas of operation, improve economic activities and create alternative sources of livelihood for the people.
Subsequently, with gainful employment and alternative sources of income, she explained that people can sustain and improve the lives of their families without having to go to the urban centers to be able to land in good paying jobs. By HENT