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Gov. Cua |
Vice Gov. Aquino |
VIRAC, CATANDUANES – Gov. Joseph Cua, Vice Gov. Alfred Aquino and the entire Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Catanduanes this week said they were very grateful to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for pushing through with the Caramoan coastal road which is also hoped to hasten the realization of the Catanduanes-Caramoan RORO project.
They said the Caramoan coastal road would indeed be a legacy of President Arroyo not only for the Caramoan Peninsula but also for Catanduanes.
At the same time, Governor Cua said they hope the national government would consider putting up this year the necessary port facilities at Codon, San Andres in Catanduanes and at San Vicente, Caramoan in Camarines Sur for the ferry system to commence as soon as the Caramoan coastal road is completed.
Governor Cua said that it would take only about 30 minutes for the ferry boat to cross the Maqueda Channel between Codon and San Vicente, compared to three hours or more from Catanduanes either from San Andres or Virac to Tabaco City in Albay province to reach mainland.
Catanduanes residents were apprehensive after learning that the DPWH Central Office decided late last year to suspend work at the Caramoan coastal road and transfer funds already allocated by President Arroyo for the project to the Caramoan Peninsula mountain road or Gov. Felix Fuentebella Highway which is longer by 25 kilometers over rugged, winding, torturous and hazardous road or more than an hour travel time than the coastal road.
Catanduanes residents would rather take the existing ferry system to Tabaco City than unnecessarily pass through the circuitous mountain road designed to also connect Garchitorena rather than directly proceed to the main road to Naga City, Governor Cua pointed out.
The DPWH Central Office was asked to reconsider its plan to transfer the coastal road fund after Bicol bishops led by Virac Bishop Manolo A. de los Santos, D.D. appealed to President Arroyo to push through with the coastal road project.
Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi, O.P., D.D., Archbishop of Caceres, also signed his letter to the President.
At the same time, Congressman Luis R. Villafuerte, who was one of the first to support the continuance and completion of the Caramoan coastal road wrote DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. indicating his displeasure over the planned fund transfer which he said could be interrupted as withdrawal of the commitment of the President to finish the coastal road project.
