Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan has approved the request of Catanduanes District Engineer Edy Ferdinand Joven to have 32 infrastructure projects of the district implemented by the regional office.
The undated memorandum covering the request for the authority was signed by the DPWH chief upon the recommendation of Undersecretary for Regional Operations Roberto R. Bernardo and Bicol DPWH regional director Virgilio C. Eduarte.
The memo gives permission to the regional office to procure, implement and approve plans, programs of works and Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for the 32 projects worth a total of P1,242,802.00.
In justifying the transfer of the project funding and implementation, the regional office claimed that it proposed most of the projects and also implemented the early phases of some projects.
This would fast track procurement and project implementation, the memorandum stated.
Among the transferred projects are: Construction of Flood Mitigation Structure in Batong Paloway, San Andres (P120 million); Construction of Catanduanes People’s Center in Virac (P50 million); Construction of Multi-Purpose Building at the Provincial Capitol (P100 million); Construction of Access Road leading to Virac Airport (P105 million); Construction of Access Road leading to seaport at Imelda boulevard (P108 million); Construction of Solar Water System Level II in Virac (P80 million); Construction of Caramoran Poblacion Bypass Road (P60 million); Construction of Sea Wall at Comagaycay, San Andres (P50 million); Road Widening (P40 million); Construction of Sea Wall at Batalay, Bato (P30 million); and two road rehabilitation projects costing P105 million each.
Also included in the list are the construction of Level II solar water systems in San Pedro in Viga (P5 million), San Miguel (P10 million and P15 million), and Bato (P5 million);
Construction of multi-purpose buildings in Tubaon in Virac (P10 million), Quezon in Bagamanoc (P15 million), Bote in Bato (P10 million), Catanduanes State University (P25 million), and Napo in Pandan (P10 million).
The other projects are: road construction at Cagraray, Bato (P5 million); replacement of Sibanhan bridge in Virac (P26 million); rehabilitation of Kanparel bridge (P25 million); construction of Bokbok bridge, Gigmoto (P35 million); road construction at Purok 3, Valencia, Virac (P10 million); road construction at Simamla, Virac (P20 million); and construction of Bato river control (P10 million).
Three other road projects along the Catanduanes Circumferential Road and the Bato-Baras-Gigmoto-Viga road have been funded with a total of P45,802,000.00.