The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-5 (Bicol) and its Sorsogon provincial office will turn over on Friday and Sunday more than PHP40 million worth of bridges that will help to boost the agricultural sector of four municipalities in the province.
In an interview on Thursday, Rejel Guariña, DAR-Sorsogon public information officer, said the bridge projects implemented under the agency’s Tulay ng Pangulo para sa Kaunlarang Pang-Agraryo (TPKP) program will benefit thousands of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), farmers and other residents in the province.
“The constructed bridges are in the towns of Barcelona, Matnog, Castilla and Sorsogon City with PHP40.55 million project costs. The TPKP project is a joint project of the Philippine and French governments where pre-fabricated materials imported from France utilize modern technology that can last for 50 to 75 years,” Guariña said.
She said DAR-Sorsogon has partnered with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Bicol in the planning, construction and monitoring of the bridges.
The four projects are the Buenavista Bridge in Barangay Buenavista in Sorsogon City, a 17.40-meter bridge that cost PHP8.62 million; Bangate Bridge in Barangay Bangate, Barcelona town, a 35.55-meter bridge worth PHP10.08 million; the Banogao Bridge in Barangay Banogao in Matnog town, a 40.20-meter bridge worth PHP10.03 million; and the San Roque Bridge, a 30.11-meter bridge in Barangay San Roque, Castilla town with an PHP11.81 million project cost.
Guariña said TPKP is one of the priority projects of the Marcos administration in its effort to boost the agriculture industry and preserve steady food supplies.
“The bridge projects will provide easier access to the farmers in bringing their agricultural products to different trade centers and markets in the province. The residents will also be direct beneficiaries as the bridges will provide safety to the public especially when there are floods,” she added.
In a statement, DAR-Sorsogon director Nida Santiago commended the commitment of the ARBs, their group leaders and the provincial and municipal offices of DAR in carrying out the tasks related to the bridges.
“We are looking forward to facilitating the building of more bridges in Sorsogon in the coming years. We have all we need, we have to continue the progressive implementation of agrarian reform here in Sorsogon,” Santiago said. (PNA)
