A multi-year project
TACLOBAN CITY — The national government is pushing the construction of a multi-billion-peso road network linking the three Samar provinces, a project officials say could help spur development and weaken insurgency in remote communities.
Vince Dizon, secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, said the Samar Island tri-boundary road project will connect the provinces of Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar through a network of major roads.
Dizon discussed the project during a meeting on March 10 with local officials at the DPWH regional office in Palo, Leyte.
“This is a priority project of our President. We will complete this. It may not be finished in one or two years, but our commitment is to secure multi-year appropriations for the next five years,” Dizon said in an interview.
The infrastructure program will cover about 612 kilometers of roads with an estimated cost of P32.78 billion and is expected to be implemented over several years.
Dizon said improved connectivity will make it easier for residents to access markets, government services, and economic opportunities, while also helping government forces reach interior communities where insurgent groups have historically operated.
“This tri-boundary road project is critical not only for the economic welfare of the provinces in Samar Island but also for our anti-insurgency campaign and national security efforts,” Dizon added
The project is among the priority infrastructure initiatives of the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with funding already allocated for several road segments in recent years.
For his part, Edwin Ongchuan, representative of the second district of Northern Samar, welcomed the continued government support, noting that areas such as Las Navas, Northern Samar have long faced insurgency concerns.
Ongchuan said the road network is expected to improve security while opening economic opportunities for communities across Samar Island and the rest of Eastern Visayas.
JOEY A. GABIETA
