Gov. Davide optimistic on Trans-axial Highway

CEBU, Philippines - Governor Hilario Davide III hopes that the proposed Trans-axial Highway project would be implemented within his first term despite funding concerns.

Davide said he continues to hope that the Trans-axial Highway would at least be started within this term albeit the Capitol does not have a clear source of funding yet.

Davide said they are still looking into the Private-Public Partnership agreements as possible funding source or a grant from a foreign group.

The proposed 300-kilometer Trans-axial Highway project, a brainchild of the late vice governor Gregorio Sanchez, would reportedly cost P56 billion. The project aims to connect the northern most part of Cebu from Daanbantayan to the southern most part in Santander.

It would also include 550-hectare reclamation from Talisay City to Minglanilla then to the City of Naga, as well as a seaport stretched in a seven-kilometer area, and economic zones in the second to fifth districts of Cebu.

He disclosed though that President Benigno Aquino III has mentioned the project but they were not able to discuss the specifics.

“He is aware na duna ta’y ingon anang projeka but wala pa gyud mi nagkaistoryahay ug taas ana,” Davide said, adding that they hope this would be supported.

Davide is an ally of the president under the Liberal Party.

After Davide won the election in 2013, he said that he was to speak with Aquino on projects they hope to get support from the national government, including the “ambitious” highway.

Davide said yesterday that he hopes to implement the project in his first term since he does not yet want to talk about the next term.

Meanwhile, Provincial Information Officer Ethel Natera said they continue to meet and discuss the Trans-axial Highway project.

“We continue to meet, update on the roads. The identification of roads, asa mi mo-connect, asa mo-open,” said Natera.  

She added that after the assessment, they hope to proceed with the feasibility study which would take around a year. — (FREEMAN)