Despite the many challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ilocos Region continues to flourish with 1,273 infrastructure projects developed and facilitated by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the year 2021.
Based on the report submitted by DPWH Region 1 Director Ronnel Tan, DPWH Secretary Roger Mercado stated that with the 1,552 projects funded in 2021, 1,273 projects have already been completed.
DPWH Region 1 managed to complete 235 national roads.
For road construction accomplishments, DPWH Region 1 managed to complete the construction, maintenance, improvement, and widening of 235 national roads amounting to ₱4.16 Billion which covers a total of 156.27 kilometers of road with asphalt overlay, 89.192 kilometers of concrete road, 30.616 kilometers of rehabilitated drainage, with 71,490.510 square meters of constructed road slope protection structures, and 22.460 kilometers of gravel road opening.
Among the significant road projects is the 22.23-kilometer Pangasinan-Nueva Vizcaya Road that facilitates safer and faster access to schools and health centers by cutting 2 hours from the usual travel time of 4 hours from Carmen, Pangasinan to Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya.
Another high-impact project constructed is the 14.15-kilometer access road leading to Angel Cave Beach in Bani, Pangasinan which is aimed to improve the transport and delivery of local products to commercial business centers and boost tourism industry once travel restrictions are lifted.
Aside from road developments, DPWH also constructed and retrofitted 49 national bridges, 117 flood control and riverbank protection structures, 82 farm-to-market roads, 98 school buildings, and 893 local infrastructure projects which include port roads, bridges, drainage canals, footbridges, seawalls, school and office buildings, quarantine facilities, evacuation centers, and water systems in the whole of Ilocos Region.
“We will continue to keep-up with all the developments from last year.”
“We will continue to keep-up with all the developments from last year, as everyone adapts to the new normal, by implementing more infrastructure projects that will improve lives and increase economic growth in the entire nation,” Mercado concluded.
