QUEZON CITY, Philippines – About 1,549 kilometers of roads from the P60 Billion government allocation for Tourism Road Infrastructure to complement with the Philippines’ natural attractions and draw local and foreign tourists nationwide are completed to date.
Secretary Rogelio L. Singson said that the investment amount released over the period of five (5) years from FY 2011 to 2015 was utilized to finance 463 projects involving construction/upgrading/ rehabilitation and improvement of roads and bridges including slope protection works with a total length of 2,502 kilometers.
Funding for the 463 projects, 110 projects of which are completed with 316 on-going and 37 under detailed engineering and procurement stage were sourced from the Department of Tourism (DOT)-DPWH Convergence Program amounting P47.58 Billion while P12.91Billion was released from DPWH infra program for road upgrading, preventive maintenance and access to declared tourism.
An additional amount of P24 Billion for the completion of about 1,200 kilometers in critical/prioritized sections of on-going tourism road projects was submitted in the proposed 2016 Budget.
Among the major tourism road projects completed and on-going includes the 6 km with two (2) lane tunnel road known as Ternate-Nasugbu Road connecting the coastal towns of Ternate, Cavite and Nasugbu, Batangas; 5.6 kilometers access road to Puerto Princesa City Underground River also leading to mangrove forest, white sand beach, Sabang zipline and Ugong rock mountain in Palawan; 44.6 kilometers Taytay-El Nido Road, Palawan; 11 kilometers Ambangeg Junction National Road to Mount Pulag, known for its magnificent view of sunrise and sunset, in Benguet; 24 kilometers access roads to Donsol, Sorsogon famous for whale shark viewing locally known as Butanding; 41 kilometers Panglao Island Circumferential Road leading to location of Bohol’s beach resorts and dive spots; and 31 kilometers Island Garden City of Samal Circumferential Road which provides access to Pearl Farm Beach Resort and Samal Botanical Garden in Samal Island, Davao del Norte.
In Northern Luzon, DPWH Region 1 recently completed the four (4) kilometers construction/ improvement of Junction Ilocos Norte-Abra Road which serves as gateway to ecotourism spots of the mountainous municipality of Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte.
Tubeg Viewdeck, Imelda Park, Hercules Mines Access to Mt. Sicapo Camp Site is among the ecotourism spots in Nueva Era linked by the P91 Million worth road project.
P60B road projects complements tourism program
