BORONGAN CITY-Under the convergence and special support program of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (ESDEO) proposes 51 tourism roads for year 2020 and submit lists to DPWH Regional Office for possible funding.
According to Engr. Christian Paul Balita of ESDEO, these lined-up access roads projects leading to tourism destination for year 2020 were coordinated with the tourism officers of the LGU in every municipalities of Eastern Samar.
Engr. Balita disclosed that before they came-up with lists to regional office for funding, they validated the tourist sites and also considered the feasibility of access road as to road right of way (RROW) and environmental issues are concern.
“Some of our priority projects for access roads leading to tourism destinations for year 2020 are the completion and continuation of our prior years’ projects like the access roads leading to Canhugas Nature Park and Borongan-Llorente Closed Canopy Forest Area,” added Balita.
The total appropriation of the proposed tourism roads for year 2020 is nearly 1.5 billion pesos.
Included in the declared tourism destinations in Eastern Samar to be built with access roads are Bangon Falls and Guiduyanan Cave in Hernani; Pinasuan Falls and Uragon Caves in Brgy Antipolo Llorente; Tingson Falls in Gen MacArthur; Casidman Cold Spring and Pisak Falls in Arteche; Malogo Watershed Sanctuary and Eco-Park in Can-avid; Matandogon Beach in Brgy. Canjaway and Pahungaw falls in Brgy San Pablo in Borongan City.
These tourism-infra projects also include the improvement of jump-off point to known island in Eastern Samar; the Hilabaan and Tikling islands in Dolores, Eastern Samar and Rawis Naked island in Can-avid.
Meanwhile, according to District Engineer Manolo A. Rojas of ESDEO, improving the local roads leading to secluded tourist spots will increase the tourism and impact on the development on social and economic well-being of Eastern Samar.
“We are hoping that these tourism projects will be approved, in order to implement access roads starting the year 2020 and it will allow not only the locals, but also the tourist to delve into the hidden sceneries of Eastern Samar,” said DE Rojas.
DE Rojas disclosed that the access roads will not only boost the tourism industry but also the convenient of livings of the locals because of easy transport of products and services to nearby municipalities.
“Concreting the gravel roads will ease the mobility of the locals who live in the secluded place to the health and education centers, town proper or even faster transportation of their goods to the market, and it will also increase the tourist visits of our province creating vast opportunities to the locals,” added DE Rojas.
DPWH ESDEO implemented two convergence projects access roads leading to declared tourism destination worth 212 million pesos for year 2018 and still waiting for the approval of the 8 projects for GAA 2019 with a total appropriation of 169 million pesos. (LARA MIKAELA SUYOT-PIO STAFF/PR)
