Capitol begins liquidation of P50M road widening project

CEBU, Philippines - The Capitol has started the partial liquidation of the P50 million downloaded from the national fund that have stalled the Tayud-Consolacion-Liloan road widening project for three years now.

Acting Governor Agnes Magpale yesterday said that she has been working on it since the past two months in office.

“The thing is it’s moving kay mao ra may gihangyo ni (Canlas),” Magpale said.

In the recent meeting of the Metro Cebu Bridge Management Board (MCBMB), Director Ador Canlas of the Department of Public Works and Highways 7 approached Magpale and expressed his concern on the expansion and upgrading of the Tayud-Consolacion-Liloan Road.

One problem is that the Provincial Government still has to liquidate P50 million that has already been downloaded and the other problem is that lot owners want to get paid before they release their lots for the road right of way.

Once the Capitol liquidates the amount, another P100 million will be downloaded.

The DPWH has allotted P150 million for the expropriation of 278 lots so the roads can be widened.

The negotiations with lot owners started by then governor Gwendolyn Garcia in 2011 yet.

Magpale earlier said that lot owners want to see the check first before they will sign the deed of sale releasing portions of their lots to the government.

Magpale said that it was recommended that a voucher would be shown instead to the owners, assuring them that they would be paid.

As of now, Magpale said that the only thing lacking for the project to continue is the acquisition of the road-right-of-way which is vital since roads along the municipality of Consolacion and Liloan are narrow.

With the road widening, the two-lane road would be expanded to four lanes.

The North Cebu Coastal Road was built to ease traffic congestion along the national highway from Mandaue City to the northern part of the province.

The project is meant to complement the Cansaga Bridge between Mandaue City and Consolacion town, which was built for P2.2 billion during the term of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The four-lane Cansaga Bridge is connected to a four-lane road that leads to the United Nations Ave. in Mandaue City. — (FREEMAN)