The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has started the construction and improvement of Batan Circumferential Road (BCR) in the municipality of Rapu-Rapu, Albay.
DPWH Regional Office V Director Virgilio Eduarte led the groundbreaking ceremony of the project, which is envisioned as a 52.4 kilometers of road around Batan Island - an isolated but emerging tourist destination of Albay boasting pristine beaches, waterfalls, and cave.
“Aside from enhancing the mobility of people in the island and gradually lead to the socio-economic development in the area, this road project will play a vital role in tourism development of the entire province,” said Director Eduarte.
According to Director Eduarte, there are two (2) ongoing contracts under BCR Project costing P90 million but the whole circumferential road will require around P2 Billion to complete.
Implemented by Albay 2nd District Engineering Office (DEO), ongoing contracts along the stretch of BCR are the construction of Liguan-Mancao Road section, which involves the concreting of 850 meters of gravel road, 1.3-kilometer line canal, slope protection and installation of 84 meters of reinforced concrete box culvert (RCBC) pipe; and the construction of Mancao-Buhatan Road.
Works to be done on the latter section of the ongoing project are road opening, concreting of 620 meters of road with construction of RCBC.
DPWH is also proposing the construction of a 1.5-kilometer bridge that will connect BCR with Barangay Mancao as entry point to Cagraray Island in an effort to further connect it to the mainland Albay.
“One of Albay’s famous tourist destinations - Misibis Bay – is located in Cagraray Island. Building a bridge to Cagraray will only encourage tourists to explore its neighbor and equally-beautiful Batan Island,” said Director Eduarte.