Several road improvements, farm-to-market projects, and multipurpose buildings have been completed in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, all worth more than P140 million, the Department of Public Works and Highways said.
The DPWH Bacolod City District Engineering Office (DEO) ensured safer travel for residents and commuters, with the completion of road projects, including the P34.3 million infra located along Hernaez Street, which involved the installation of 25 LED solar streetlights, a new drainage system, a shaded or canopied pathway, and an improved sidewalk with paving blocks and a pedestrian lane.
This project is particularly beneficial for students of Rizal Elementary School, and enhances security for passersby and local businesses, the DPWH6 said.
The P10.8-million project from Barangay Sum-ag to the Bacolod-Bago boundary, meanwhile, included the installation of 906 solar pavement studs in the centerline, application of white reflectorized thermoplastic pavement markings, and reflectorized thermoplastic rumble strips in front of Sum-ag National High School.
These enhancements aim to provide safer travel for drivers and commuters, especially at night and during adverse weather conditions when visibility is low, the DPWH6 said.
The project at Luzuriaga Street involved the improvement of the drainage system, repair and reblocking of concrete pavement, and installation of concrete paving blocks, from corner Luzuriaga-Mabini to corner Masjid Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq mosque.
DPWH6 director Sanny Boy Oropel said these projects “will provide safer and more comfortable environment for students and residents in the area.”
To enhance agricultural productivity and provide easier access to popular tourist destinations, the DPWH Bacolod DEO, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, also completed a farm-to-market road (FMR) project that connects Barangay Alangilan to the northern city proper.
Bacolod District Engr. Abraham Villareal, in his report to Oropel, said this project will facilitate smoother transportation of crops, ensuring that farmers can efficiently bring their produce to the market; and also to give tourists and city dwellers convenient access to hospitals, schools, grocery stores, and other essential services.
“This road is a crucial development in the local economy. By improving access to farms and resorts, we are fostering growth in agriculture and tourism, which are vital for Bacolod City,” Oropel said in a recent statement.
Barangay Alangilan is a vital passageway to renowned farms and resorts.
The construction of a revetment wall along the Magsungay River in Bacolod was also completed.
This vital infrastructure project, which aims to improve the riverbank’s sustainability and stability during calamities, will benefit approximately 56,000 residents of barangays Alijis and Singcang-Airport, the DPWH6 said.
The agency’s Negros Occidental Sub-DEO also undertook two road projects to enhance mobility and promote local development in towns.
The P38.9 million project in Toboso, focuses on the improvement of a 4.89 lane-kilometer, two-lane road, and the construction of a 50-millimeter-thick Bituminous Concrete Surface Wearing Course as part of preventive maintenance of the road in remote areas.
The P10-million project in Purok Pasto Liso, Barangay Bagong Silang in Don Salvador Benedicto, on the other hand, involved the construction of a 500-lane meter long, five-meter-wide two-lane concrete road.
A 468-lineal meter long, five-meter wide, two-lane Portland Concrete Cement Pavement (PCCP) FMR in Barangay Mambugsay, Cauayan town, was also completed. Worth P10 million, this infra included grouted riprap as slope protection and benefits about 200 residents, who are mostly farmers.
The DPWH also partnered with the Sugar Regulatory Administration to complete the concrete farm-to-mill road from Barangay Dancalan in Ilog town to Barangay Mambugsay in Cauayan town. Worth P13-million, it involved a 789-lineal meter long, five-meter wide, two-lane PCCP road with grouted riprap and 28-lineal meter reinforced concrete pipe culvert.
The FMR project in Barangay Tampalon, Kabankalan City, worth P5 million, included the construction of a 263-lineal meter long, five-meter wide, two-lane PCCP road with grouted riprap.
District Eng. Rodney Gustilo stressed that concrete roads will significantly improve travel conditions and quicker access to essential services.
Meanwhile, the construction of a 152-square-meter public market building, worth P9.8 million, was completed in Barangay Paticui, Hinigaran. This modern facility, equipped with flooring and stalls, is set to uplift the local economy by providing a clean and organized space for the orderly display of food, goods, and basic commodities.
The P4.9-million project in Barangay Marina, Binalbagan, featured a 408-square-meter covered court with cladding and concrete flooring; while in Barangay Bagroy, also in the town, a 144-square-meter, one-storey building, worth P4.8 million, will serve as the barangay hall, and a venue for activities, such as medical missions, distribution of relief goods, and religious events, the DPWH said. ||
