The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was able to implement various infrastructure projects in 2021 that has helped the people of Eastern Visayas recover from the economic losses due to the second year of COVID-19 pandemic.
DPWH Secretary Roger G. Mercado who hails from and is a former local executive in Eastern Visayas, specifically in Southern Leyte, said that last year, the DPWH Regional Office 08 and its 14 District Engineering Offices accomplished the construction, maintenance, improvement, and widening of 113.57 kilometers of national roads for the six (6) provinces in the region.
Also completed in Region 8 for 2021 are 31 bridge projects costing P1.57 Billion, and 75 flood-control projects which include flood mitigation structures and drainage systems, and structures along major river basins and principal rivers amounting to P3.27 Billion.
In convergence with national government agencies, completed are 54.39-lane kilometers of access road leading to tourism destinations, industrial trade corridors, seaports and airports costing P1.18 Billion; 5 projects/facilities in support of National Security costing P164.92 Million; 196 classrooms in the amount of P146.95 Million; 134.59 lane kilometers of farm-to-market roads costing P1.13 Billion; four (4) Motor Vehicle Users Charge (MVUC) projects costing P666.37 Million; eight (8) facilities for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) and Elderlies/Senior citizens including Gender-Responsive Facilities costing P29.55 Million; four (4) water supply projects costing P199.97 Million; and 20 rehabilitation projects of structures damaged by calamities costing P426.11 Million.
Aside from accomplishing its main mandate on national roads, bridges, and flood-control structures, DPWH also completed a total of 532 projects funded under its Local Program in 2021.
DPWH Secretary Mercado said that the local projects completed in the Region helped revitalize the local economy by providing more employment opportunities.
“By implementing hundreds of local projects, we also able to ramp up our job generation in many areas of Region 8, especially in the poor provinces,” said Secretary Mercado.
Local projects completed include the construction and maintenance of local roads and bridges, flood-control, drainage, water systems, multi-purpose buildings, including school buildings amounting to P6.55 Billion.
“It is indeed empowering that despite the pandemic, DPWH still manages to deliver quality infrastructure for the betterment of the lives of the Filipino,” said Secretary Mercado.