DPWH to Rush Daraga Bridge Project

DARAGA, Albay --- Government engineers will speed up the construction of the Binitayan bridge here following the release of a P40 million promised by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Albay Representative Al Francis Bichara disclosed over the weekend.

Bichara said President Arroyo in her recent visit here directed Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro through the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bikol to immediately release the amount for the construction of a new bridge in this town.

The bridge will replace the old spillway that was washed out by rampaging lahar and flood waters from the slopes of Mayon volcano at the height of super typhoon Reming in 2006.

As this developed, Secretary Teodoro during his visit here last week disclosed that his office already transmitted the corresponding official endorsement and documents for the P40 million fund for approval by the President that would subsequently allow the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release the fund to the Department of Public and Highways (DPWH) in Bicol.

Bichara said an initial P40 million fund was earlier released which was used to undertake preliminary structural civil works such as the erection of concrete piles as structural foundation.

"As soon as the funds are released, engineering works would start soonest, so the people would heave a sigh of relief," said Bichara, the proponent of the bridge project.

The collapse of the old Binitayan spillway at Barangay Kilicao inconvenienced five neighboring barangays situated at the foot of the volcano, particularly in transporting farm produce to the town proper.

Villages affected by collapsed spillways were Barangays Kilicao, Matnog, Salvacion, and Mabinit, all located at the foot of the volcano's southeastern quadrant.

Meanwhile, Engr. Oscar Cristobal, DPWH assistant regional director, said that the bridge project would be completed by the 1st quarter of 2010.

He said the DPWH would have to infuse additional P30 million for the construction of approaches at the 126 linear meter single lane concrete with 4.5 meter width bridge including appropriations for right of way.

He said the total bridge project cost P110 million, of which P80 million was sourced from the President's Bicol Calamity Assistance for Relief and Emergencies (B-CARE) and P30 million from the DPWH.