Arroyo directs DPWH to start P48M Mandaue bridge project

President Gloria Arroyo yesterday directed Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane to start the project for the construction of a 40-meter bridge connecting barangays Canduman and Cabancalan in Mandaue City.

The president, who visited the site, told Ebdane to publish the call for public bidding so that the process for selecting a contractor can start soon. She noted that the bridge will address the problem of traffic congestion in this part of the city, especially after the Sacred Heart School-Jesuit moved its school here and started classes last June.

Arroyo, an alumna of a Jesuit School, Georgetown University in Washington, graced the inauguration of the new SHS-J campus, and was informed of the traffic bottleneck in H. Abellana St. in barangay Canduman, which also connects Cebu City to northern towns via Mandaue City.

Last year officials of Mandaue and Cebu cities expressed apprehension over the possible traffic congestion in the area when SHS-J relocated. Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes himself showed to the president the traffic problem in the area.

Secretary Ebdane in turn promised that the publications of the bidding will start on Tuesday and in two more consecutive Tuesdays before the bidding process of the project takes place.

Ebdane however warned that the original cost of P48 million may not be the same now considering the increasing costs of construction materials.  He said he will let the Department of Budget and Management determine the reasonable increase.

The construction of the bridge, besides easing the traffic congestion in the area, is part of the P100 million-worth of projects of the national government for Mandaue City, said Ebdane.

He said the other projects are the P20-million rehabilitation and repair of drainage facilities at Kalderohan-Tabok-Tingub-Pagsabungan-Canduman road, and the P32-million rehabilitation and improvement of Casili-Tawason to Canduman road, road widening and asphalting of barangay Canduman.

Meanwhile, later yesterday, Arroyo visited the manufacturing plant of Profoods International Corp. in Maguikay, Mandaue City, to see for herself the situation of the company, which is the largest Philippine-based dried mango producer and exporter of world-class processed fruit products.

Profoods has been contributing a lot to the country’s economy by serving local and international clients, Arroyo said while going around the plant to see for herself the different production processes, from salting to peeling to packing of dried mangoes.

In her message, Arroyo congratulated the employees and officials of the company for a job well done, adding that there is now a company abroad who wants to buy a large volume of Profoods products. Initial talks on the matter have already been held, she said.

Profoods is a producer of various dried fruits, fruit preserves, purees, concentrates and juices. Its products are sold nationwide, and exported to many countries in Asia, Europe, Canada and the United States.

Profoods provides jobs to 600 Cebuanos in normal seasons, but employs 6,000 workers during harvest season to meet the company’s production demands.

Profoods production manager Justin Uy said he mentioned to Arroyo the company’s problem on shortage of mango supply, amid rising demands of mango-based products from the company.

Uy said the president promised to help Profoods through government programs, such as for boosting the production of mango and other fruits in the country.  This would mean providing assistance to farmers through pesticide and fertilizers assistance programs of the Department of Agriculture, he said.  — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, Jessica Ann Pareja, and Cressida Paula Delmo/RAE