The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Saturday, Oct. 22, that it completed two major road projects in Iloilo that are expected to give better mobilization of goods and trade in the province.
The two-component road projects will connect rural communities to main highways and hasten the transport of agricultural products in the city of Passi and Leganes town, according to DPWH Region 6 Director Nerie D. Bueno.
DPWH Iloilo 2nd District Engineering Office (DEO) has completed 556.8 lineal meters of portland concrete cement paving, connecting Iloilo-Capiz Road (New Route) to Passi-San Rafael-Lemery-Sara Road.
Based on the report to DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan and Undersecretary Roberto R. Bernardo, the access road project is intended to boost socio-economic activities in the city.
"Iloilo will serve its purpose to become the leading producer of sugar and other related products through the infrastructure project of DPWH that will provide a faster route for trucks transporting sugarcanes from farms to mill operations," said Bonoan.
Bueno said the concrete road now serves as an alternative route for motorists and commuters going to the northern part of the province leading to the gateway of Boracay Island and in the areas of Capiz and Aklan without passing through the congested section of the Iloilo-Capiz (New Route) along Passi City.
The P15 million road concreting project was implemented through the Roads Leveraging Linkages for Industry and Trade Industry (ROLL-IT) Program of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
On the other hand, DPWH Iloilo 4th DEO finished paving a 1.29-kilometer farm-to-market road (FMR) in Barangay Guihaman, Leganes, which traverses rice fields and other agricultural lands.
The completion of the FMR allowed farmers and motorists to more convenient and cost-effective transport of products.
Bueno said the FMR also reduces travel time and traffic congestion by providing an alternate route to Iloilo International Airport without passing through Iloilo Circumferential Road.
The project has a total cost of P9.68 million, and was funded under the Sustainable Infrastructure Project Alleviating Gaps (SIPAG) Program, said DPWH.