COTABATO CITY – The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will build infrastructure projects amounting to P136 million in the provinces of Basilan and Lanao del Sur after memorandums of agreement (MOAs) were signed recently.
The signing of the MOAs on September 18 was between the ARMM’s Department of Public Works and Highways and the two local government units. ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman led the signing with Don Mustapha Loong, DPWH-ARMM secretary.
The projects in Basilan include the concreting of a six-kilometer road in Brgy. Kapatagan Small, Isabela City to Brgy. Boheh Nange, Lamitan City, and the 4,500-meter road in Brgy. Boheh Nange to Brgy. Sta. Clara in Lamitan City. The projects’ total cost amounts to P126 million.
“The two roads will form part of the trans-central road, a milestone project that will enable the people to traverse the province at the center and would open wide hectares of agricultural land open for development,” Sec. Loong said.
He also noted that over P1 billion will be allocated for the trans-central road in Basilan in 2016. “We expect that the trans-central road will be functional in 2016,” Sec. Loong said.
Earlier, the circumferential road in Basilan was completed allowing motorists to circumnavigate the province in shorter time. This time, the regional government has chosen the local government units as implementers to further develop their capability to undertake such infrastructure projects. “This will help far-flung barangays and alleviate social and economic conditions in the affected communities,” Mayor Rosita Furigay of Lamitan City said.
Water systems will also be built in the towns of Bacolod-Kalawi and Tubaran in the province of Lanao del Sur. The projects have a total appropriation of more than P10 million.
“Rest assured that we are doing on-site monitoring of our projects,” Sec. Loong added. On September 4, an MOA for P124-million infra projects were also signed for the towns of Parang, Buldon and Sultan Mastura in Maguindanao and in Tamparen in Lanao del Sur.
The projects would be funded under the 2015 infrastructure budget program. At present, DPWH-ARMM is managing P10-billion worth of projects across the region. (Bureau of Public Information)
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