US funding agency clears P3.2-B road rehab projects

MANILA, Philippines -  The Millennium Challenge AccountPhilippines (MCA-P) has signed two road-rehabilitation contracts worth roughly P3.2 billion under the Secondary National Roads Development Project (SNRDP), which is funded by the United States Millennium Challenge Corp.

Last Sept. 11, MCA-P signed a P2.45 billion civil works contract with a Filipino-Chinese joint venture for the rehabilitation of a 64.58- kilometer road and the replacement of six bridges from the San Julian and Sulat municipal boundary up to the Balangkayan and Llorente municipal boundary in Eastern Samar.

The project is under a joint venture between Filipino-owned Mac Builders and Qingjan, a Chinese company.

On Sept. 28, MCA-P signed another contract, this time for the rehabilitation of a 16.3-kilometer road in Paranas, Samar.

MCA-P signed the P802-million deal with the DMCI-CM Pancho JV consortium.

MCA-P managing director and chief executive officer Marivic Añonuevo signed on behalf of MCA-P while DMCI president and CEO Jorge Consunji and CM Pancho president and general manager Gerardo Pancho signed for the consortium.

The contract covers the rehabilitation of an existing road from the Buray junction in Paranas to the end of Barangay Tinani in the same municipality. It also involves the replacement of Tabucan bridge.

DMCI-CM Pancho JV bested two other companies in a competitive and transparent bidding conducted by an independent procurement agent, MCA-P said in a statement.

Construction for both packages is expected to start in October.

The road works include widening, pavement strengthening, drainage improvement and traffic calming measures. The project will incorporate enhanced safety measures in the final road designs including paved shoulders, sidewalks and curbs, and road marking.

SNRDP is one of three projects in the Philippines funded by MCC. It involves 15 municipalities and is seen to benefit about 282,000 people through reduced transportation costs and greater access to the communities’ needs.