Negros officials: Cebu hogging DENR projects

Local government officials from Negros Oriental and Siquijor yesterday questioned why Cebu always gets prioritized in the implementation of projects and why it takes the Department of Environment and Natural Resources so long to implement projects in other parts of the region.

The questions were raised during the Regional Development Council's full council meeting held in Dumaguete City, after topics on the proposed third bridge connecting Mactan Island with mainland Cebu and the improvement of Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority were tackled.

Siquijor governor Orlando Fua said that his province, like the other provinces in the region has good potential as a tourist destination but what keeps them behind neighboring provinces is the poor infrastructure projects, especially the roads.

"We envy the other provinces. We have the asphalt inverted roads that don't cater well to people, especially to travelers," he added.

With regards to the improvements proposed to the MCIAA, like the construction of passenger boarding bridges, ramp expansion, passenger terminal and parallel runway, Fua said that MCIAA is not too congested for these projects to be implemented immediately.

He said there are more immediate infrastructure projects that need immediate action from the government, particularly DPWH.

Dumaguete City mayor Agustin Perdices echoed Fua's concerns adding that Cebu is "now becoming like imperial Manila."

He explained that the council and the DPWH are prioritizing Cebu's projects because local government officials here are putting pressure on the government offices that implement the projects.

Perdices said that the RDC and DPWH should also give concern to developing the infrastructure of Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental as their roads, bridges and even their airport also needs to be improved.

"I have no objection to the third Mactan-Mandaue bridge but you should also look at into small bridges as they need more priority. Let us examine our prioritization, this body has to have a hand in the selection of the priority projects," Perdices said.

But infrastructure development committee co-chairman and DPWH-7 director Juanito Abergas said that the projects that they implement are based on the recommendations of the committees of the RDC and there is no pressure from local officials.

Incumbent RDC chairman and Negros Oriental governor George Arnaiz agreed with Abergas and urged LGU officials to be active and put more pressure on the government.

"The government offices are located in Cebu so the LGUs of Siquijor and Negros should put more pressure on them," Arnaiz said.

During yesterday's meeting, the council endorsed to DPWH the proposal to conduct a feasibility study on the possibility of the construction of a third Mandaue-Mactan bridge and improvements at the MCIAA except the proposed construction of a parallel runway.

The council referred back to the infrastructure development committee the proposal on the putting up of parallel runway for the conduct of a feasibility study. - Wenna A. Berondo