TACLOBAN CITY - The national government has approved high-impact infrastructure projects that will be implemented in the coming years in Northern Samar province.
This includes the construction of Laoang Bridges 2 and 3, which Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan has been pushing since he became second district congressman and provincial chief executive.
“We thank the national government, especially former president Rodrigo Duterte for approving our province’s proposed project during his incumbency,” Ongchuan said.
The project, which includes the construction of the Talisay–Poblacion Laoang Bridge (Laoang Bridge II) and the Calomotan–Pangpang (Laoang Bridge III) – was proposed during the term of then Second District Congressman Emil Ong in 2007.
The good news was bared by Department of Public Works and Highways Region 8 Director Allan Borromeo during the regional briefing for Eastern Visayas Lawmakers on August 10 at the Batasan Complex in Quezon City.
“The high-impact projects, Laoang Bridge 2 and 3 will push through and will be funded through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA),” Borromeo shared.
He added that the procurement process will start in 2023, and the actual construction will begin in 2024.
It was also learned that the project, costing about P6.6 billion pesos, will take a minimum of 7 years to complete.
Dubbed as the Samar Pacific Coastal Road (SPCR) Project Phase 2 which will connect Laoang to the Pacific Coastal towns and Northern Samar mainland, the project aims to lessen travel time and propel development in the province.
After constant lobbying by Governor Ongchuan and other provincial officials, the project was endorsed by the Regional Development Council 8 Infrastructure and Utilities Development Committee to the RDC Full Council in a meeting on June 23, 2021.
The RDC approved and endorsed the proposed projects to the national government on July 8, 2021.