by Ernesto T. Solidum
How to spend the limited funds available derails the construction of infrastructure projects. It is not the lack of funds, but the way how to spend the money available is the problem.
The country’s infra component must be fully developed to attract more tourists and investors is one of key messages of outgoing Secretary Alberto Lim of Department of Tourism. Aklan, being a tourists hub because of Boracay and the Aklan Ati-Atihan festival takes a good hard look on the issue and concerns pacing economic infra of the government.
The guests at the Kapihan forum held at Smokehauz Resto & Bar on August 20, 2011 are Engineers: Joey P. Ureta and Dennis C. Fuentes (representatives of Dist. Engr. Roberto Cabigas) of DPWH; Engr. Emerson S. Lachica, MEO Kalibo; and Engr. Victory M. Fernandez, PEO. The topic is "State of Infra Development in Aklan".
According to Engr. Fernandez, "their mandate is to develop, maintain, operationalize and sustain a functional network of roads and bridges for mobility of people and goods. For the last two decades they had gone out to maintain Jetty Port services in Caticlan and Cagban, all in Malay. To date, Aklan has 308 kilometers of provincial roads, 45 percent of which are classified as paved with concrete and 55 percent unpaved. The PEO office has undertaken the planning and supervision of the construction of Daguitan bridge, a 200 meter project spanning the Aklan river to Poblacion, Madalag. It is actually the biggest and most ambitious project in Western Visayas. Hope-fully, the two lane bridge will be finished by December of this year.
Up for rehabilitation is the Jawili-Bugtongbato road section earlier damaged by landslide. Another one is the damaged rampart of Caticlan Jetty Port accidentally wrecked by a RORO vessel. Repair is estimated to cost P8 million.
Despite its limited funding resources, the PEO has endeavored to connect remote barangays especially in Libacao where people used to avail of motorized transport, Provincial Engr. Fernandez added.
Engr. Lachica bared that the 2011 funding for infra is P15.4 million out of the 20 percent economic development outlay of IRA. Consequently, rehab for Kalibo’s streets is P5.4 million, for drainage is P3.0 million, and for building and public infra is P5.0 million.
"We face a stiff resistance from property developers and home-owners who tend to construct permanent structures like buildings and fences over or near bodies of water thereby hindering free flow of drainage canals. PD 296 expressly prohibits constructing a perimeter fence less than 3 meters adjacent to a creek or river. Likewise, there must be a setback of at least 20 meters from Aklan’s flood prone river bank in order to allow government construction of peripheral service roads", Lachica lamented.
The on going decongestion of drainage along major thoroughfares are coordinated with DPWH (especially along D. Maagma St.) and PEO. We have just completed the 400 meter concrete drainage section at San Lorenzo road, the excess water directed to Andagao creek. Due to population pressure, there is urgent demand to redesign old drainage structures because of obsolescence and recurrent clogging. It is welcome development that Kasangga Partylist Representative Ted Haresco has contributed P1.5 million for the rehabilitation and deccloging of drainage canals in Kalibo", Lachica reported.
Engr. Fuentes mentioned that national highway in Aklan is almost totally concreted or covered with asphalt overlay. Of the 155 kilometers dirt road, only 400 meters remain between Buruanga and Malay. The 11 kilometers road between Buruanga and Libertad, Antique will be paved with concrete next year with P150 million budget. It should be noted that Buruanga LGU has completed a RORO docking facility 3 years ago.
Also available is the P20 million funding for box culvert type drainage facility from Rotonda crossing (Kalibo) to Kalibo Int’l Airport (KIA) junction. Implementable this year is street lighting from KIA to Marzon Enterprises costing P1.4 million.
Engr. Ureta averred that rehabilitation of breakwater at Tambak, New Washington is scheduled for public bidding in the amount of P28 million. River bank erosion poses a major problem in road section of Banga – Libacao route particularly in Taba-aw, Banga. But the DPWH is saddled by inadequate funds. "There is no recourse but to advice people not to construct their houses near flood prone areas to avert any calamity", said Project Engineer Ureta.
It is tragic that DPWH has poorly designed and constructed Tambak bridge. The base elevation of two meters coincides with mean tidal height. Hence, effectively blocking the intertidal exchange of sea and brackish water. This natural cycle is considered critical for supply of planktons and replenishment of dissolved oxygen. Moreover, a much wider river channel or opening could have mitigated the impact of billowing sea rolls on the breakwater structure.
Until now, Kalibo has no master drainage plan for its burgeoning metropolis. Presently, the Kalibo Municipal Engineers’ Office could do its piecemeal work on critical sections oftentimes with assistance of DPWH. The reason for this partnership is not casual but forced due to shortage of funds. This is the reason why Mayor William S. Lachica is scouting for opportunities to augment the meager budget of Kalibo. The arrival of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in Aklan on Aug. 13 resulted to a pledge of P2 million but this remains to be seen.
Our road infra particularly the highway is getting congested and deteriorating with the yearly increase of vehicular traffic, often-times with payload of 20 tons, resulting in accidents, pollution and delays. For instance, the trip of passenger vans and buses from KIA to Caticlan (69 kilometers) takes an average of 2.0 hours. To cut travel time by half requires the creation a 3 lane highway and instill discipline among drivers.
The feeling of anomie or helplessness confronts at least 50 percent of Aklan’s total population due to recurrent floods and destruction in its wake. Engr. Ureta said that "the preliminary study of concrete revetments of 8 kilometers long installed on the Eastern side of the Aklan river from Bakhao Norte to Tigayon will cost P1 billion. However, the same amount could be effectively used when invested in hydroelectric dams".
Renewable energy is the wave of the future because the use of fossil fuels exacts a high price and unsustainable. Private investors are certainly needed to make this dream a reality. A positive response from our elected officials could offer a ray of hope. /MP
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