RDC endorses to PGMA 45 major projects in Eastern Visayas

(let me feature Sarwell Meniano's report as printed in today's edition of the LSDE)

(President Arroyo listens as Mayor Mel Sarmiento made his report during the RDC meeting. To the President's left is DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane)

CALBAYOG CITY -- At least 45 major projects in Eastern Visayas were endorsed by the Regional Development Council (RDC) to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in a bid to get funding allocation and complete it at the “soonest possible time.”

These projects are roads and bridges, airports and seaports, power generation and transmission, flood control, post harvest facilities, small farm reservoirs, and irrigation.

RDC Chair and Calbayog City Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento said that the President was very happy with the output and that she expressed her desire to replicate the scorecards to other RDCs in the country.

The media was not allowed to listen to the President’s response after Mayor Sarmiento endorsed the score cards, but Arroyo said in an interaction with the media at the city airport that the national government will earmark more projects in Samar before her term ends.

“We want to see Samar enjoying the same blessings of Cebu and Bohol. This is a beautiful island with a big potential for eco-tourism destination,” Arroyo told the local media.

The President recently approved the release of a 478 million-peso fund for rehabilitation of coastal road network in Eastern Samar.

“She welcomed our output and our initiative to improve the economic status of (the) people in Region 8. PGMA has assured funding but not for all projects of course” Sarmiento said.
The endorsed road projects aimed at upgrading the road links between the three Samar provinces, the Biliran Circumferential Road, and the Panaon Island Circumferential Road in Southern Leyte.

Airports and Seaports included the redevelopment of Tacloban Airport, Calbayog Airport upgrading, Catbalogan Seaport improvement, construction of Carigara RoRo Port and Carigara Wharf.

Prioritized power generation and transmission projects were the Southern Leyte Geothermal Project, Wright-Taft-Borongan 69 KV Transmission Line Project and Sta. Rita-Basey-Quinapondan 69 KV Line Project.



Proposed flood control projects are situated in the towns of Tanauan, Palo, Lapaz, Burauen, and MacArthur in Leyte. Distribution of post harvest facilities and construction of small farm reservoirs will be concentrated in Leyte.

At least six out of eight proposed irrigation projects are in Samar Island. These are located in the towns of Basey, Sta. Rita, and Calbiga in Samar; Bobon and Mondragon in Northern Samar; and Dolores in Eastern Samar.

“For major projects, we are not in a position to decide the annual allocation. We are appealing to Her Excellency to endorse these projects to the line agencies, through the Cabinet Secretaries, with the hope that same line agencies will support the funding requirements, to complete the projects,” Sarmiento said in his presentation during a joint meeting of the RDC and Regional Disaster Coordinating Council held at the Tiburcio Tancinco Memorial Institute of Science and Technology.

(President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as she received a copy of Mayor Mel Sarmiento's report)

Few minutes after her arrival, the President took part in the inaugural flight of Philippine Airlines' PAL Express. She also led the formal opening of the 56 million-peso Sto. Niño Bridge linking the towns of Gandara and Matuguinao in Samar before she convened the RDC members. The President left Calbayog City around 12:30 p.m. to visit Masbate and lead the cabinet meeting there.