P143M road projects now open to bidders

CEBU, Philippines - After its P143-million proposed farm-to-market road (FMR) received green light from the national government, the Cebu provincial government is now inviting interested bidders for the projects.

The latest development was announced by Estela Rodriguez, project manager officer of the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP)-Cebu Provincial Project Monitoring and Implementing Unit.

She said these subprojects will cover 14 kilometers of roads in northern Cebu.

The Anonang Sur-Lambusan FMR that connects Bogo City and San Remigio has a length of 5.7 kilometers. In the municipality of San Remigio, the barangays Dapdap to Batad FMR is 5.7 kilometer long while the Kinawahan-Canagahan road link is 2.9 kilometers.

The project is funded under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) of the Department of Agriculture.

The PRDP is part of the P27.5-billion six-year program of the DA that “aims to reduce poverty and create livelihood opportunities.” It was bankrolled through the loan proceeds from the World Bank, the funding institution.

The Capitol is the PRDP’s implementing partner of the DA. It earmarked P50 million in its Annual Investment Program this year representing the province’s 10-percent counterpart for FMR subprojects  and another 20 percent for each livelihood subproject.

The Provincial Information Office reported that another 6.6-kilometer FMR in Daanbantayan town connecting barangays Agoho and Tapilon has yet to be issued no objection letter (NOL)-1 from the National Project Coordination Office.

The NOL-1 signals the local government unit to proceed with the publication of the invitation to bid.

Rodriguez said the FMRs will provide accessibility of farm products from the production areas to the trading centers.

Other subprojects proposed by the province were the P68 million water works in Alegria which is also awaiting NOL-1 and the P1 million cassava livelihood project in Poro which was approved by the Regional Project Advisory Board of PRDP last October 23.

The PRDP-Cebu monitoring and implementation unit is also working on endorsing four FMRs with the RPAB next month. These are a total of 57.817 kilometers worth P578.17 million. — (FREEMAN)