4 agencies give Cebu City projects worth P1.6 billion

CEBU, Philippines - At least four national government agencies will implement projects worth P1.6 billion in Cebu City this year.

Representatives of the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Public Works and Highways appeared before the City Council yesterday to apprise its members as to the budget allocations granted to the city government.

Of the four agencies, DPWH has allocated the biggest with P1.44 billion for infrastructure projects. DSWD has appropriated P105.1 million, DILG has allocated P3.3 million and DA has given the city P4.5 million.

DPWH’s budget allocations were intended for the national road networks services (P1.28 billion); preservation/rehabilitation and reconstruction of national arterial roads-north corridor, Cebu-Balamban Transcentral Highway and Gorordo Avenue (P129.1 million).

A budget of P298,515,000 is also allocated for the upgrading of damaged paved national roads including drainage based on the pavement management section and highway development and management on national secondary roads, including Arellano Boulevard, Camp Lapu-Lapu, Imus road, Martires-Pier II road, M.J. Cuenco Avenue, S. Osmeña Boulevard, D. Jakosalem St., F. Calderon St., P. Burgos St., Cebu South Tunnel, V. Rama-Tres de Abril, Colon Street and Cebu-Guadalupe road.

DPWH has also allocated P200 million for the construction of flyovers or underpass, which covers depressed structures and intersection of N. Bacalso and F. Llamas and intersection in Mambaling road and the Cebu coastal road.

At least six national roads in the city are also covered by a widening project, including Gov. Cuenco Ave., M. Velez St., C. Padilla St., Carlock St., Arellano Boulevard and R. Palma,  totaling P132.6 million.

Moreover, P155 million has been set aside for maintenance and construction services of other infrastructure in A. Soriano St., Talamban-Bacayan-Pit-os road, and reconstruction of Doña Modesta Street.

Other projects include reconstruction of national roads with slips, slope collapse and landslide-arterial roads (P50 million); widening of national roads-secondary roads in N. Bacalso Avenue (P176.8 million); network development of off-carriageway improvement in J. Luna Avenue, F. Gonzales St., Escario St., F. Cabahug Extension, Mabini-Lopez Jaena St., and Cebu Circumferential road in Katipunan Street, among others (P211.1 million); and construction and maintenance of bridges along national roads and widening of permanent bridges (P15.5 million).

For its part, DILG has allocated P2 million for the procurement of portable, collapsible cubicles for evacuation centers, and P1 million allocation for “patubig to mountain sitios” in Barangay Quiot, among others.

Joy Elumba, DA’s regional technical director for research and regulations, said they have earmarked P4.6 million for the farming system, including rice (P48,000) livestock (P1.27 million), high-valued commercial crops (P1.29 million), and organic agriculture (P1.97 million).

The P105.1 million allocated by DSWD, on the other hand, will for the projects of the persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens and urban poor men and women.

This year, DSWD’s Pantawid program, which has been allocated with P91.5 million will be catering to about 8,000 underprivileged families; social pension for 234 indigent senior citizens who will be receiving P6,000 per annum with a total allocation of P1.4 million; supplementary feeding program for about 11,000 day care students (P16.1 million); and six projects totaling to P16.1 million.

The P16.1 million worth of projects would be for infrastructure, including the construction of an economic livelihood center and simulation, therapeutic and rehabilitation center for PWDs; purchase of welding equipment; upland fish culture for seniors (P4 million); senior citizens and urban poor men and women (P2.3 million); livelihood and training and provision of capital for urban poor (P3 million). — (FREEMAN)