The Department of Public Works and Highways – Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office (DPWH-NSSDEO) has achieved a 72.55% completion rate for the construction of the Missing Links/New Roads project along the Catumsan-Jipapad-Las Navas-Catubig-Rawis Road. This project aimed at enhancing road connectivity for remote barangays in Northern Samar and Eastern Samar, adopting economic growth, and improving access to essential services.

Under the supervision of Project Engineer Arturo C. Corocoto, Jr., the project involves the concreting of approximately 1,635 meters of roadway. Additionally, the project includes the construction of 275 meters of slope protection to ensure road durability and safety. The total funding allocation for this vital infrastructure amounts to P81,206,000.00, sourced from the General Appropriations Act of 2024.

Local officials and community members have expressed strong support for the project, emphasizing its transformative potential. The enhanced road connectivity is expected to stimulate economic activity by facilitating the movement of goods and services, particularly benefiting farmers who can now transport their products more efficiently to markets. The improved roadway is also projected to promote tourism, foster peace and order, and address longstanding insurgency issues in the region.

Access to education and healthcare is another significant benefit of the project. Students will have an easier time commuting to schools, while residents in remote areas will gain faster access to medical facilities, ultimately contributing to a better quality of life for communities.

The construction of the Catumsan-Jipapad-Las Navas-Catubig-Rawis Road represents a vision for a more connected and prosperous province. With its focus on ending isolation and creating opportunities for far-flung barangays, the project marks a critical step in addressing the infrastructure needs of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar.

(JOEMAR M. PATILAN/PR)

TACLOBAN CITY– To provide residents with more accessible and reliable access to essential services and neighboring communities, the Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has recently completed the concreting of road in Sitio Bagacay – Población District I, MacArthur, Leyte.

The P4.88-million road improvement project covered the construction of a 0.230 mm-thick Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP) spanning a total area of 1,064.27 square meters.

It also included the installation of a drainage system, and pipe culverts.
To further improve safety, particularly during nighttime travel, single-arm solar LED roadway lighting were installed along the route.

District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura said that the project will provide residents with safer, more reliable, and more accessible transportation connecting them to essential services and nearby communities.

Meanwhile, Ronilo Limbaga, a laborer and beneficiary of the project, shared how the initiative has significantly improved their daily lives.

“Before the DPWH implemented this project, the road here was badly damaged and full of potholes. Heavy rains would cause severe flooding, making it difficult for students to cross and for residents to go about their daily activities,” he said in Waray.

“The floodwaters would often rise to knee level, preventing motorcycles and other vehicles from passing through. Our livelihood was greatly affected but now, the project provided by the DPWH has helped us,” Limbaga added.

He further added, “Now that the DPWH has implemented the project, it has made a huge impact on our community. Even during heavy rains, the area no longer gets flooded, and residents can pass through easily. Students no longer miss classes because they can safely go to school, rain or shine.”

“ It also gives us peace of mind, knowing that we won’t have to worry about impassable roads anymore. We are truly grateful to the DPWH in MacArthur, especially to the head of the district, thank you very much.”

Funded from DPWH CY 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the project was completed on March 31, 2025.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)