| |
 |
| |
Map shows the Presentacion-Caramoan coastal road (red line) compared to the existing circuitous mountain road (yellow line). Work on the coastal road will start July.
|
Infra project seen as GMA legacy
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is closely monitoring the progress of implementation preparations for the Presentacion-Caramoan coastal road for which she has allocated funds during her visit here on February 2, 2006.
Observers said the presidential focus on the coastal road could mean she wanted the vital project as the legacy of her administration in the Caramoan Peninsula.
The President has been repeatedly asking Camarines Sur leaders pushing for the road segment on the project status every time she meets them.
In a conference with the President in Malacañang three weeks ago, Congressman Luis R. Villafuerte who had vigorously sought the completion of the long-stalled 24-kilometer road project, together with his son Camarines Sur Gov. LRay Villafuerte, said the President inquired on the status of the project as soon as they met.
When President Arroyo met Most Rev. Manolo A. de los Santos, D.D., Bishop of Virac, on March 14, 2006 in Cebu City during the Golden Sacerdotal Anniversary of Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, she also asked about the Caramoan coastal road.
Meanwhile, the DPWH Regional Office disclosed that bidding for projects covered by Php 29.5 Million whose release was sought by Congressman Villafuerte for the coastal road will be held this June. Preparatory bidding works had taken so much time because new surveys were made to conform with the request of the Caramoan Residents Association in Naga City and its Environs (CRANE) to pursue an entirely coastal route from Presentacion to Guijalo instead of the original route that would have ended up in barangay Hanopol from Bitaogan, Presentacion skipping the port barangay of Guijalo.
On the other hand, transfer of Php 50 million from the DPWH to the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur is being sought by Governor LRay Villafuerte since the province also has the capability to directly implement the project. DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane will still have to sign the Memorandum of Agreement formalizing the transfer.
Governor Villafuerte had succeeded in securing the release of Php 50 million apart from the P 29.5 million worked out by Congressman Villafuerte. This means that a total of P79.5 million has been released at this juncture for the Caramoan coastal road project.
President Arroyo has allocated P250 million for the Caramoan road network upon the request of Governor Villafuerte who is focusing on the tourism development of Caramoan which has several world-class tourism potentials. The amount will, however, be released on staggered basis over the next two or three years but it could be sufficient to complete the project.
The coastal road project is only 24 kilometers and will directly proceed to Caramoan compared to the existing circuitous road from Presentacion to Caramoan tranversing the mountains which is 49 kilometers long since it also connects the town of Garchitorena. In rugged mountain roads over deep ravines the 25-kilometer difference is equivalent to one and a half hours in travel time.
CRANE initiated one year ago the revival and completion of the coastal road project with a petition to the President Arroyo citing that it was necessary to accelerate tourism development and it is a vital component of the roll on-roll off project connecting the island province Catanduanes to San Vicente, Caramoan in just 30 minutes. Catanduanes residents presently take the ferry boats to Tabaco City which negotiate the distance in three to four hours.
The CRANE petition was endorsed by Governor Villafuerte, Congressman Villafuerte, Catanduanes Gov. Leandro Verceles, Jr., all priests in Catanduanes and Caramoan led by Bishop de los Santos, the Camarines Sur Chamber of Commerce and Industry and all Caramoan municipal officials and barangay captains. More than 500 teachers, businessmen, professionals and community leaders, the Caramoan Senior Citizens Federation, and the alumni and faculty of the United High School, the oldest private secondary school in the Caramoan Peninsula also signed separate endorsements of the CRANE petition.
Caramoan municipal officials broke party lines to endorse and support the CRANE initiative, joining hands in an endeavor beneficial to all Caramoanons.
Caramoan Mayor Francis Benemerito is with the Lakas-NUCD Party of Governor Villafuerte while Vice Mayor Juan Cordis, Jr. is with NPC but both were the first signatories in the endorsement along with all councilors and barangay captains.
Bicol bishops had also considerably helped hasten the President’s decision on the coastal road when the group , through Bishop de los Santos, presented once again to President Arroyo the CRANE petition together with all the endorsements during a dialogue in Malacañang on January 30, 2006. With Bishop de los Santos were Bishop Jose Rojas, Jr. who represented Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi, O.P.,D.D., Archbishop of Caceres, and Bishops Nestor Cariño, Arturo Bastes, Jose Baylon, Benjamin Almoneda and Jose Sorra.
The CRANE petition was first presented to the President last year by Undersecretary Tomasito Monson, Presidential Assistant for Bicol Affairs.
