PNoy leads groundbreaking of Mactan Circumferential Road widening project

IF ONLY funds used to purchase lamp posts during the 12th Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) summit in 2007 were used instead for the circumferential road in Mactan Island, many could have benefited from the project, President Benigno Aquino III told residents in Toledo City yesterday. Aquino visited Toledo City to introduce the local candidates of the Liberal Party. He traveled by helicopter from Bogo City. Before Bogo, the President was in Lapu-Lapu City, where he led the groundbreaking of the Mactan Island Circumferential Road. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said the widening of the 26-kilometer Mactan Circumferential Road will benefit more than 9,000 daily motorists in Mactan Island and help attract more tourists and investors. The P3.7-billion project is meant to provide access to tourist destinations on the island from Mactan Cebu International Airport, said DPWH Undersecretary Romeo Momo, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony in Barangay Ibo, Lapu-Lapu City. The road starts from Barangay Pajo and ends in Barangay Poblacion, traversing Cordova town. It covers three component bridges—Gabi, Pilipog I and Pilipog II—which will also undergo widening. Aquino said the road widening project will decrease the travel time from Cebu City to Lapu-Lapu City by 15 minutes. “Today’s groundbreaking marks the start of new opportunities for the Cebuanos,” Aquino said in Filipino. He said wider roads are necessary because tourists do not return to destinations with congested roads. He said the government spent P365 million for beautification projects, which included the lamp posts, in preparation for the Asean summit. “Wala naman po’ng turistang titingin sa magarbong lamp post na wala ng ilaw ngayon (No tourist will come to see the expensive lamp post, which is not functioning anymore),” he said. Arrivals Aquino also announced that the country has surpassed its initial target of registering 35 million domestic tourist arrivals every year. In 2011, the DOT recorded 37 million domestic tourist arrivals. He said the government’s new target is to register 56 million domestic tourist arrivals by 2016. Aquino said one tourist would mean one job for Filipinos in the tourism services sector. To accommodate more tourists, Aquino said the Mactan airport terminal should be expanded. At present, the capacity of the passenger terminal is only 1.6 million, below the actual arrival of two million. Investors The road widening project, Aquino said, will also attract more investors to Lapu-Lapu City. It will make investing in the Mactan Economic Zone more profitable because of faster movements of products and services), he said. The DPWH, which will finance the project, hopes to finish the road widening by May next year. Of the cost, P113 million have been sourced from the Department of Tourism-DPWH Convergence Program in 2011. Momo said a kilometer of the road will have five lanes; two kilometers will have four lanes; and the rest will have two lanes. Senatoriables Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas and Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla were present at the activity, as did Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza and Rep. Arturo Radaza (Lapu-Lapu City lone district). Of all Liberal Party (LP) senatorial candidates, only Jamby Madrigal accompanied Aquino, who has been visiting different parts of the country to campaign for the LP. LP Senate aspirants Grace Poe and Riza Hontiveros only sent their representatives. In Toledo City, Aquino introduced LP Cebu candidates, headed by gubernatorial bet Hilario “Junjun” Davide III. He also introduced Pinamungajan Mayor Geraldine Yapha who will run in the third congressional district against suspended Gov. Gwen Garcia. Yapha said more than 10,000 attended the rally at the LP rally in Toledo City. Former chief justice Hilario Davide Jr. attended the rally to show support for his son. Former congressman Antonio Yapha, who will run for vice mayor in Toledo, was seen during the rally but his running mate, former senator John “Sonny” Osmeña, was not present.