TACLOBAN CITY – Residents of Sitio Soledad in Barangay Santo Niño, Jaro, Leyte are now experiencing safer and more convenient travel following the completion of a newly paved access road by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office (L2DEO).
The project features a 0.8975-kilometer, 0.2-meter-thick Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP) with a 5-meter-wide carriageway, including reflectorized thermoplastic pavement markings to improve night-time visibility.
District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura said the improvement forms part of the agency’s continuing efforts to upgrade road networks in remote communities and strengthen access to essential services, markets, and disaster-resilient routes.
With the upgraded road, farmers can transport produce more efficiently, while workers and students can travel to and from the town center with greater ease—even during bad weather, he said.
Among the residents who welcomed the road improvement is storekeeper Irene Dumayos, who said daily travel has drastically improved.
“Many thanks to the DPWH for your project. Our road is now good, and our travel—to the town and returning home—is much easier. We are very grateful for the project you provided here in Sitio Soledad,” she said.
Dumayos recalled how difficult life was before the road was completed, especially during the rainy season.
“Before this project came, our situation here was really difficult, especially when going to the town proper and returning home. During heavy rains, the road would flood and we would get stuck. Sometimes, we had to wade through the water and even push our motorcycles.
“Tuba gatherers carrying their harvest also struggled to transport their goods, and our students sometimes had to walk because the road was impassable going to the lowland area. Now that this project has been completed, we are deeply grateful that the road has been concreted and widened compared to before,” Dumayos added.
Construction of the access road began on March 24, 2025, and was completed on June 17, 2025. The project, funded under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) with a total cost of P9.87 million, was implemented by Filzand Construction.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
