Several road and school building projects, worth around P82.4 million, were completed by the Department of Public Works and Highways in Negros Occidental.
The completed concrete roads offer convenient mobility to residents and visitors in barangays Nataban, Rizal, and Prosperidad in San Carlos City; and in Dolis and Maaslob in Calatrava, the DPWH said, adding that access to these remote communities in northern Negros Occidental is now easier.
Undertaken by the DPWH Negros Occidental Sub District Engineering Office, the P10 million project in Sitio Handalago, Barangay Nataban involved the construction of a 1.04-kilometer lane with drainage and slope protection structures, and reflectorized thermoplastic pavement markings.
The P20-million project in Sitio Maragoos, Barangay Rizal, included the construction of a 1.9- kilometer lane and a slope protection structure; while in Barangay Prosperidad, the DPWH finished the construction of a 600-meter lane with slope protection structures and reflectorized thermoplastic pavement markings, all worth P10 million.
In the town of Calatrava, the 1.36-kilometer lane, with slope protection project was valued at P20 million.
“These paved roads facilitate better access to far-flung areas, thus ensuring safer mobility for people and a cost-efficient transport of products from farms to the market,” DPWH6 director Sanny Boy Oropel said in a statement, adding that paving these local roads is a significant milestone in rural development, and helps not only farmers and agricultural producers, but also students in their pursuit of better education.
Students will no longer need to spend much time traveling from their houses to schools in the town proper. Also, basic social, health, medical, and other government services can be easily delivered to the distant communities in Negros Occidental, Oropel stressed.
The DPWH, in coordination with the Department of Education, also built two school buildings in Sipalay City, and one each in Ilog and Cauayan towns.
In Sipalay City, the one-storey, two-classroom building, worth P5 million, benefits approximately 80 students of the Barasbasan-Indangawan Annex, while the P2.5-million one-classroom building at Macarandan Elementary School in Barangay Camindangan can accommodate 15 students.
In Ilog town, the one-storey, two-classroom building, worth P5 million, provides better learning facility among students of Tabu National High School.
In Cauayan, the two-classroom building at Tibak Primary School, also worth P5 million, offers additional facility that can accommodate roughly 35 students.
These classrooms serve as significant educational infrastructures that will impact the learning environment, student engagement, and overall educational outcomes, the DPWH said. “Providing school buildings is not merely about creating physical spaces; it involves creating an environment that enhance learning experiences, promote collaboration, ensure convenience and safety, reflect cultural values, and adapt to future trends in education.”
A modern multi-purpose building in Barangay Bungahin, Isabela town was also completed by the 2nd District Engineering Office, the DPWH said Aug. 28.
The P4.9 million project involved the construction of a 244 square meter, one-storey building equipped with modern amenities, including air-conditioned rooms designed to enhance the functionality and comfort of its occupants.
“This new barangay hall will provide a state-of-the-art space where the Sangguniang Barangay can comfortably and efficiently conduct meetings. It also ensures that residents and guests can carry out transactions and participate in activities with ease,” Oropel stressed. ||
