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Phase
3 of the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Project (BCRIP
3) is one step closer to realization with its endorsement
Friday to the National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA).
During
its full council meeting at the Bohol Tropics Resort, the
Central Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC 7) chaired
by Oriental Negros Gov. George Arnaiz unanimously endorsed
the proposed BCRIP 3 to the NEDA Investment Coordinating Committee
(ICC) for inclusion in the 27th or later Yen Loan Package
of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).
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"The
project feasibility study for BCRIP 3 has been submitted
to NEDA already. On evaluation, the RDC secretariat
found it to be economically and technically viable for
implementation," Aumentado said.
The
Bohol Provincial Development Council (PDC) resolution
approving BCRIP 3 described it as a project that aims
to provide a reliable and fast access to Panglao Island
and other potential tourist destinations in the eastern
coastal part of the province; to decongest existing
national roads in Tagbilaran City and Baclayon town;
and to improve the movement of people, goods and services
in areas traversed by these roads.
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The
feasibility study conducted pro bono by the Pacific Consultants
International (PCI) that also did the studies on BCRIP 1 and
2 and of the Bohol Irrigation Project (BHIP) Stages 1 and
2 and the Panglao Bohol International Airport Development
Project (PBIADP) estimated BCRIP 3 to cost P1.707 billion
for the asphalt concrete pavement (ACP) option and P1.773
million for the Portland cement concrete pavement (PCCP) option.
As
in BCRIP 2, Aumentado's option is for concreting of the 140
kilometers of road. This is cost effective because unlike
asphalt that is vulnerable to water and therefore rain, concrete
requires minimal maintenance. Gleaning from data from the
Philippine Atmospheric, Geographical and Astronomical Administration
(Pag-asa), the governor ponted out that Bohol's rainy season
is all of six months a year, hence the bias for concreting.
PGMA
visit With BCRIP 2 already finished, the governor found it
high time to endorse BCRIP 3 already to NEDA, for implementation
by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Aside
from the road, it involves the two bridges that link Panglao
Island to the Bohol mainland with a total length of 100 lineal
meters. It will be implemented in 24 calendar months or two
years, beginning in the first quarter of 2008, with President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expected to lead the groundbreaking
rites.
However,
the President will already visit Bohol anew on April 27 to
inaugurate BCRIP 2, the Bayongan Dam of the Bohol Irrigation
Project (BHIP) Stage 2 in San Miguel town and the P60-million
Jagna roll on-roll off port that was closed to passenger and
cargo traffic almost a year ago due to improvements. BHIP
2 will irrigate 5,300 hectares more of ricelands in San Miguel,
Trinidad and Ubay towns while the Jagna port is part of the
President's Strong Republic Nautica Highway that links Bohol
to northern Mindanao through Cagayan de Oro City and Camiguin
Island. This is her second visit this year.
The
first was on March 10 when she was the guest of honor during
the 1st Bohol Youth Day celebration at the CPG Sports Complex
in Tagbilaran City. The governor also invited her to grace
the culmination this Thursday of the biggest eye surgery and
medical mission here but she declined due to prior commitments.
The culmination also falls on her birthday. BCRIP 3 Aumentado
describes BCRIP 3 as the concreting of the "whole island"
of Panglao, the Anda Peninsula and the road to Ubay - the
real eastern coastal road.
The
Panglao Circumferential Road is 36.32 kms.; the Panglao Central
Spur Road, 13.75 kms.; the Candijay-Mabini-Ubay Coastal Circumferential
Road, 40.2 kms.; the Guindulman-Anda-Candijay Coastal Circumferential
Road, 37 kms.; the Tagbilaran City Diversion Road, 6.88 kms.;
the Baclayon Bypass Road, 6.2 km.; and the Panglao Island
Bridge Links - the Gov. Jacinto Borja Bridge and the Ambassador
Suarez Bridge.
This
early, Aumentado already has a bypass road for Panglao Island
in mind considering that the roads in Dauis town are narrow.
To note, prior to the RDC meeting, he drove through the circumferential
road. Using the current route, however, widening to make the
road of standard width will affect many houses and improvements,
giving rise to a possible bypass.
This
means a route that will cut through Barangay Mayacabac to
the center road, to Barangay Totolan and on to Panglao town
that will comprise Package 1.
On
the other hand, improvement of the two bridges will support
the PBIADP and Bohol's tourism industry as a whole. Other
projects
The
RDC 7 also ranked these Bohol road and other projects as follows:
Danao-Getafe Road to be implemented by the DPWH, Rank 1; Loay
Interior Road, Carmen-Sagbayan-Clarin Section, DPWH, Rank
5; Ubay Port, Department of Transportation and Communications
(DOTC), Rank 3; Getafe Port, DOTC, Rank 4; Loboc Integrated
Communal Irrigation System (CIS), Rank 1; Calingganay CIS,
Alicia, Rank 2; Bohol Agricultural College CIS, Bilar, Rank
3; La Hacienda CIS, Alicia, Rank 4; Tubigon (Ilihan) CIS,
Rank 5 and the Jimilian CIS in Loboc, Rank 6, all by the National
Irrigation Administration (NIA),
Towards
adjournment, the RDC through a resolution thanked Aumentado
for hosting the full council meeting.
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