The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) managed to complete 410 infrastructure projects in Central Mindanao for 2021 as it stays true to its commitment in creating infrastructure that improves the lives of every Mindanaoan especially in the time of COVID-19 pandemic.
DPWH Secretary Roger G. Mercado, citing reports from DPWH Regional Office 12 Director Basir M. Ibrahim, said that the completed projects in 2021 were implemented by the regional office and 10 district engineering offices (DEO) in the provinces of South Cotabato, Cotabato (North), Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City (SOCCSKSARGEN).
Among DPWH-RO12’s accomplishments for 2021 is the 115.07-kilometer of roads that are either newly paved, widened, and rehabilitated. This is part of the regional office’s effort to further strengthen SOCCSKSARGEN’s road network, which connects cities and towns in the region.
Also in line with its road network development efforts, DPWH-RO12 successfully implemented 13 projects, worth P168.94 million in total, dedicated in building and improving bridges all over Central Mindanao.
In 2021, DPWH finished an additional 37.87-kilometer of road opening and improvement works through its continuous cooperation with various government agencies such as the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for farm-to-market roads; Department of Tourism (DOT) for access roads to declared tourist destinations; Department of Transportation (DOTr) for roads leading to ports and seaports; and, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for easing access to industry and trade centers in the region.
To mitigate the destructive effects of water inundation brought by heavy rains and typhoons all over the region, DPWH spent P556.13 million to accomplish 21 flood control structure projects to help save lives and millions of pesos of damages to properties, crops, and economic investments.
DPWH also constructed, repaired, and rehabilitated a total of 448 other infrastructure projects that include national buildings and classrooms; hospitals and health facilities; military buildings; disaster-related rehabilitation projects; water supply and rain collector systems; market and slaughterhouses; public terminals; multi-purpose buildings used as barangay halls, gymnasiums, senior citizen buildings, and daycare centers; and other public infrastructure.
DPWH-RO12 also provided a total of 127,616 jobs in SOCCSKSARGEN in 2021 through the Build, Build, Build Program. For this, Secretary Mercado commended the regional office not only for pushing the implementation of infrastructure projects in Central Mindanao while considering the health of its personnel, but also for its initiative in addressing the need for employment of locals amid numerous layoffs due to the pandemic.
“We are hopeful that with the easing of community restrictions in the county, DPWH will be able to deliver in 2022 and in the coming years the 399 underway and 30 recently started infrastructure projects originally programmed in 2021 for Central Mindanaoans,” Secretary Mercado said.