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FIRST
IN RP. The Welcome Center of the Philippine Ports
Authority (PPA) was inaugurated last Sunday at the city
port. Cutting the ribbon are DOTC Sec. Ace Durano, Undersecretary
Eduardo Jarquez Jr., Gov. Erico B. Aumentado, Rep. Edgar
Chatto, Vice Mayor Nuevas Montes and DOT Reg'l Director
Dawnie Roa. Rev. Fr. Rey Pernia officiated at the blessing
rites. PPA officer-in-charge Rolly Gambuta led in welcoming
the guests. Foto: DANNY REYES |
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Pres.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo makes her second visit in just
two months, to inaugurate two newly completed flagship
projects, the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement
Project (BCRIP)-Phase 2 and the rehabilitated Jagna
Port.
The
President will be landing in Jagna town via a chopper
from Cebu City at 11 o'clock this morning and will
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hold
a brief closed-doormeeting with Bohol leaders led by Gov. Erico
Aumentado and Representatives Edgar Chatto, Roberto Cajes and
Eladio Jala.
Pres.
Arroyo will formally re-open the P60.39-million Roll-on, Roll-off
port that was improved to cater to a bigger sea traffic and
in consistent with her Strong Republic Nautical Highways Program
that aims to interconnect the Philippine islands. Jagna Port
is considered Bohol's gateway to Mindanao.
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Immediately
after the unveiling of the Jagna Port marker, the President
will also inaugurate, by driving through a section of
the P1.863B BCRIP-2 in Jagna along with key government
officials.
Department
of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) USec. Manuel Bonoan
is also expected to accompany Pres. Arroyo together
with Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Ryuichiro
Yamazaki and Japan Bank for International Cooperation
(JBIC) Manila chief Hiroshi Togo. JBIC funded the BCRIP
project through the Yen Loan Package extended to the
Philippines.
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Jagna
ports authorities and the Coast Guard said during a coordination
meeting last Tuesday that the President would be landing amidst
a crowd of homecoming Boholanos. Jagna Port was closed sometime
last year to give way for its rehabilitation.
Jagna
Mayor Exuperio Lloren will host lunch at the town hall for
the President and her party as well as Bohol officials after
a program at the Jagna Cultural Center.
In
the audience will be the mayors and some constituents of Jagna,
Duero, Guindulman, Candijay, Garcia-Hernandez, Valencia and
Dimiao - the towns traversed by Package 2 of the BCRIP-2 which
was undertaken by CM Pancho Construction.
Pres.
Arroyo will to fly back for Cebu by 2 o'clock in the afternoon
while Bonoan, Yamazaki, Togo and other guests will drive to
Tagbilaran to unveil Kilometer Zero - the marker for BCRIP
2.
A
short program is scheduled with the mayors of Lila, Loay,
Albur, Baclayon, Tagbilaran, Cortes, Maribojoc, Loon and Calape,
the towns which are traversed by Package 1 of BCRIP 2 undertaken
by Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction.
The
President was also originally scheduled to inaugurate the
P3.2-billion Bayongan Dam of the Bohol Irrigation Project-Stage
2 (BHIP-2). However, this was deferred upon suggestion of
Malacañang's Protocol Office.
The
BCRIP-Phase 2 was implemented on March 16, 2004, covering
16 towns and paves a total length of 136 kilometers of main
highways.
The
concrete road network completes the Bohol road belt and links
up with the 124 kilometers from Calape to Candijay, the BCRIP
Phase 1 project.
Phase
2 starts from Candijay to Guindulman, Duero, Jagna, Garcia
Hernandez, Valencia, Dimiao, Lila, Loay, Alburquerque, Baclayon,
Tagbialarn City, Cortes, Maribojoc, Loon and back to Calape
where it joins the BCRIP 1 project earlier completed.
Since
its opening, the completed BRCIP has facilitated rapid transport
of goods and services thereby upgrading trade and commerce.
It also crucially complements the country's pilot nautical
links stretching across the country's inner seas, local businessmen
have pointed out.
Jagna
port, on the other hand, is a strategic point that links Visayas
to Mindanao and completes Bohol's dream of becoming a hub
in the country's Strong Republic Nautical Highways.
The
port improvement which was completed last March 27, 2007 covers
the demolition and disposal of old reinforced concrete wharf,
the widening of rock causeway, construction of a reinforced
concrete wharf extension and provision mooring and fendering
system. (With reports from Rey Anthony Chiu-PIA)
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