NIGHT OWL
Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo
If you are in any way part of “Build, Build, Build” — be strong and steadfast. The truth will not change only because alternate realities are repeated, or that facts are often ignored. The attacks will be more vicious and it will be at a rate that we have never seen before. Do not be disheartened. There is work to be done still. While we are already able to complete 29,264 kilometers of roads, 15,134 kilometers is still ongoing. While we have already built 5,950 bridges, we still have 1,859 bridges to deliver.
“Build, Build, Build” is a springboard, a chance to turn a dream of connecting Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao into a reality. It means linking 81 provinces, 146 cities and 1,489 municipalities. It means bridging people together from different classes, dialects, ethnicities, and religions.
Your sacrifices gave us a chance for peace. Without you, we would not have been able to implement a 280-kilometer masterplan in Zamboanga Peninsula and residents of far flung areas would still have no access to basic social services.
It does not matter how projects are financed. Whether you are working on a project which received external financing from Asian Development Bank such as the Alicia- alangas Road in Zamboanga Sibugay or one that was locally funded such as the Sindangan Bayog Lakewood in Zamboanga del Norte — you have made a dent in the Philippine narrative.
The ongoing debate to differentiate “Build, Build, Build” and Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) serve no real value except to those who want to sow discord or confusion. PPPs are only a subset of “Build, Build, Build,” as the former is only a financing modality of the latter.
Contrary to what some purport it to be, Public Private Partnerships in the Philippines date back as early as 1986, when Proclamation No. 50 created the Asset Privatization Trust (APT) and the Committee on Privatization. It has evolved since with the enactment of several laws, including RA 6957 or the Build-Operate-Transfer Law in 1991, RA 771815 and Memorandum Order No. 16616 in 1993, Administrative Order 103 in 2000, Executive Order 144 in 2002, Executive Order No. 819 in 2010 and Executive Order No. 13620 in 2013.
And while there are many motivations in entering PPPs such as broader sector reform, efficient and effective use of available resources or mobilization of capital investment, it is not a viable financing option for all the regions in the Philippines. In fact, less than five percent of BBB projects are financed via PPPs considering the revenue percentage share expectation of private concessionaires.
For instance, DPWH has not implemented a PPP project in Zamboanga Peninsula — a region composed of three provinces: Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay and the highly urbanized city of Zamboanga City.
According to “Build, Build, Build” Czar Mark Villar, DPWH has completed 1,453 kilometers of roads, 287 bridges, 237 flood mitigation structures and 6,913 classrooms in Region 9.
1. Alicia-Malangas Road in Province of Zamboanga Sibugay
Eight bridges will be built along the 23.7-kilometer Alicia-Malangas Road project, which traverses 15 barangays of the municipalities of Alicia and Malangas. These are the 40.94-meter Logpond Bridge, the 35.94-meter Tigabon Bridge, the 30.94-meter Ilisan Bridge, the 40.94-meter Bella Bridge, the 25.94-meter Payag Bridge, the 60.94-meter Lipacan Bridge, the 25.94-meter Sinusayan Bridge, and the 40.94-meter Lapirawan Bridge.
The project is part of the Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project, a 280-kilometer masterplan financed jointly by the Asian Development Bank and the government of the Philippines.
2. Tampilisan-Sandayong Road Project
The ₱623.260 million Tampilisan-Sandayong Road project covers the upgrading of 15.07-kilometer existing combined barangay/municipal roads generally made up of gravel with three to four-meter width to standard specifications of a secondary national road. The Tampilisan-Sandayong Road when completed by September, 2021 will provide a direct link between Dipolog and Pagadian Cities by-passing Ipil which is the capital town of Zamboanga Sibugay.
The start of the project road is at the junction of the Dipolog-Ipil National Highway and the Sto. Niño barangay road traversing Barangays New Dapitan, Poblacion, Farmington, Situbo and ends at Barangay Sandayong’s road crossing with road to Naga town proper, Zamboanga Sibugay.
3. Lutiman-Guicam-Olutanga Road
The P989.69 million Lutiman–Guicam–Olutanga Road targeted for completion by September, 2021 involves the concrete paving of 29.10-kilometer of national tertiary road made up of gravel and construction of a 60.98 lineal meters bridge following the existing alignment traversing the Municipalities of Alicia, Mabuhay, Talusan and Olutanga, Zamboanga Sibugay Province and leading to a ferry operation at Guicam Channel of about 440-meter channel width to connect Guicam to Mabuhay in Olutanga Island.
4. Guicam Bridge Project
The 540-meter Guicam Bridge will link Barangay Lutiman, Alicia in Zamboanga Sibugay and Olutanga port.
5. Western Mindanao Command Hospital
Through the convergence program between the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of National Defense (DND) under the Tatag ng Imprastraktura para sa Kapayapaan at Siguridad (TIKAS), a hospital will be built to compliment the existing health system and provide health services to our men in uniform.
6. Sindangan-Bayog-Lakewood
SINDANGAN-BAYOG-Lakewood Road
50.640 kilometers out of 79.346 kilometers of the Sindangan-Bayog-Lakewood is already complete. The road network, which begins at the junction of Dipolog-Sindangan-Liloy Road in Zamboanga del Norte and terminates at the junction of Tubod-Lakewood Road in Zamboanga del Sur, will reduce travel time between the two provinces by over 66 percent from six hours to only two hours.
7. Zamboanga Connector
SIOCON-SIRAWAI, Zamboanga del Norte
The 68.295-kilometer Siocon-Sirawai-Sibuco-Limpapa Road will connect three municipalities of Zamboanga del Norte to Zamboanga City. When the project is completed, travel time from Siocon to Zamboanga City will be reduced from five hours to only 1.5 hours.
8. Junction National Highway to Ayala-La Paz Road
Heading to Nancy Falls? Drive through the 28.482-kilometer road network which will connect Ayala-La Paz Road to the national highway. When completed travel time from Ayala to La Paz will be reduced from 120 minutes to only 30 minutes. It is expected to benefit at least 1,100 motorists daily.
9. Buenavista-Bolong Coastal Bypass Road
BUENAVISTA-BOLONG, Zamboanga City
Looking for a hidden paradise? Head to Bolong Island Beach in Zamboanga City and try the about to be completed Buenavista-Bolong Coastal Road, which is expected to benefit 4,200 motorists daily. Once completed, it will reduce travel time from Buenavista to Bolong from 60 minutes to only 15 minutes.
Up for a longer stay? The road connects to the wharf that ferries tourists to Once Islas — 11 islands along the Moro Gulf guaranteed to satisfy your craving for fine white sand and pristine blue water.
10. Barra Bridge
BARRA BRIDGE
The Barra Bridge provides the shortest and fastest way to travel from Dipolog City to the city airport.