NEWS
Caramoan coastal road implementation starts

CARAMOAN COASTAL ROAD - Physical implementation of the Presentacion - Caramoan coastal road started this month in several areas along the 24-kilometer route up to barangay Guijalo from Presentacion town. At left, the Pili bridge near Presentacion town proper is being readied to facilitate flow of heavy equipment while laying of drainage culvert (center) is on-going between barangays Pili and Bulalacao. At right, a barge unloads several units of heavy equipment at barangay Bitaogan for the road opening towards Guijalo.

Physical implementation in three segments of the Presentacion-Caramoan coastal road started this month while three more portions of the 24- kilometer project will also commence this October bringing closer to reality a much- awaited dream of residents of the remote coastal town of Caramoan, coastal barangays of Presentacion and the island province of Catanduanes.

The project is being closely monitored by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo herself who has allocated P250 million for the undertaking which is expected to boost tourism development in Caramoan and also connect Catanduanes to the mainland though a RORO.

DPWH Regional Director Orlando B. Roces informed the CRANE MONITOR on September 22 that heavy equipment have been deployed along the Presentacion- Bulalacao road, concreting on the existing Liwacsa-Bitaogan road is on-going while opening of the Bitaogan-Canatuan road has begun. All these segments are funded from the P29.5 million whose release was secured by Congressman Luis R. Villafuerte.

Meanwhile, the provincial government of Camarines Sur will undertake beginning October the implementation of a P50-million package whose release was sought by Governor L-Ray Villafuerte.

“We want to prove that unlike the mountain road to Caramoan which took the Fuentebellas decades to build but until now is not passable during rainy season the coastal road could be completed in just two or more years”, Congressman Villafuerte said.

The provincial government will undertake the road opening of the Canatuan to Guijalo section and improvement, including concreting of portions of the Presentacion to Liwacsa road. Road opening from Bitaogan to Guijalo will require blasting to keep the route as much as possible close to the shoreline as sought by the Caramoan Residents Association in Naga City and its Environs (CRANE) which initiated the revival of this project.

Director Roces said that although the Presentacion to Bitaogan road was opened way back in 1992 by then Congressman Eduardo Pilapil the entire route had been covered by think underbrush virtually requiring new opening for most parts.

Massive and simultaneous construction work is expected to peak all throughout the coastal route by January.