The Senate has approved on third and final reading on Wednesday, Nov. 22, seven bills that are looking to convert roads and re-number or create district engineering offices.

To be converted into national roads were four municipal roads all in Romblon province.

“The aim of these road conversion bills is mainly to assist our local government in providing the needs of their constituents. In converting these roads, the local government units are unburdened of the responsibility of maintaining this highly useful and valuable road so that they can focus their resources more on the needs of the local government,” said Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr, chairperson of the Committee on Public Works which steered the passage of the bills.

“While entrusting to the national government the preservation of these roads which is their expertise, we are hitting two birds with one stone, so to speak,” he said in his omnibus sponsorship speech.

Approved on third reading were House Bill No. (HBN) 1028 which sought the conversion of the Sawang-Macalas Road; HBN 1029 or the conversion of the Road Stretching from Barangay Tuguis, Municipality of Odiongan to Barangay Tugdan, Municipality of Alcantara; HBN 1030, taking into consideration Senate Bill No. 1943, or the conversion of the Road Stretching from Sitio Boliganay, Barangay Panique, Municipality of Odiongan to Sitio Kabaliwan, Barangay Bachawan, Municipality of San Agustin; and, HBN 1031, taking into consideration Senate Bill No. 1952, which sought to convert the Sablayan-Agpanabat- Bagacay Road, a Section of the Romblon Circumferential Road.

Also approved were three bills renumbering and creating district engineering offices in Cebu, Leyte, and Zamboanga City.

“In creating these district engineering offices, we are likewise empowering our LGUs, so that they will be able to address exigencies of infrastructure in their respective localities. We support them as they take each step towards serving the needs of their constituents,” Revilla said.

“This will make services accessible to the localities. This will be their bridge to enjoy their aspirations and dreams that can only be realized through significant infrastructure projects,” he added.

Approved were 7234, or the renumbering of the Cebu First, Second, Third and Fourth District Engineering Offices to conform and correspond, respectively, with the numbering of the legislative districts in the Province of Cebu; HBN 7508 which sought to create a district engineering office in the Second Legislative District of Southern Leyte; and, HBN 7577 creating a separate district engineering office in the Second Legislative District of Zamboanga City.

“Our kababayans in Cebu, Southern Leyte, and Zamboanga City will greatly benefit from these proposals,” Revilla said.