BAYBAY CITY, Philippines – The P500-million diversion road project here, jointly funded by the national and the city governments, has been started with groundbreaking rites attended by city officials, led by Mayor Carmen Cari, her son, Leyte 5th district Rep. Jose Carlos “Boying†Cari and DPWH-8 construction head Luciano Gumba.
The city’s diversion road, spanning 5.4 kilometers, is designed to decongest the poblacion (city proper), which is now packed with pedicabs, said Mayor Cari, citing traffic and growing population as deterrents to infrastructure development. “Thus, we found ways to expand the poblacion,†she said.
Representative Cari, for his part, said the project “is a dream come true,†recalling that he lobbied for it with President Benigno Simeon Aquino III since 2011.
As a joint project, the national government will release P100 million every year until 2016, while the city government will pay for the right-of-way of affected landowners, he said.
The project was not without complainants, though, as usual. Some affected property owners complained that they have not been remunerated yet even if the project has already been started. They said only damages to their crops were paid so far and not their properties.
Councilor Ernesto Butawan admitted the city has not paid yet some of the affected landowners but explained that this was due to property value assessment still being conducted by the City Assessor’s Office. (FREEMAN)