TACLOBAN CITY— A P100-million bridge project in Barangay Maduroto, Matuguinao, Samar is expected to improve access to remote communities and eventually provide a direct road link between the town and Las Navas, Northern Samar.
Funded under the 2024 Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Pamana) program, the project is intended to address transportation difficulties in geographically isolated communities and improve the movement of residents, agricultural products and other goods.
The bridge will connect the Matuguinao poblacion with outlying barangays, with the planned road network eventually extending toward Las Navas in Northern Samar.
Once completed, the project is expected to provide residents with a safer and more efficient route to the town center and other areas, reducing travel difficulties faced by communities with limited access to transportation infrastructure.
Improved connectivity is also expected to support local economic activities by making it easier for farmers and other producers to bring their products to markets.
The project could likewise improve access to government services, schools, health facilities and other essential services for residents in remote barangays.
The Pamana program supports conflict-affected and conflict-vulnerable communities through socioeconomic development and infrastructure projects. It seeks to address development gaps while complementing government peacebuilding efforts.
The Matuguinao bridge is part of efforts to use infrastructure development to improve connectivity and create opportunities for communities facing geographic and development challenges.
The planned connection to Las Navas could also strengthen economic and social interaction between communities in Samar and Northern Samar, particularly those with shared livelihood and geographic links.
Local officials said improved road access could help create conditions for greater economic activity and more efficient delivery of public services once the project is completed.
The bridge project highlights the role of infrastructure in improving access and supporting long-term development in remote communities in Eastern Visayas.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
