DOLORES, Eastern Samar (PIA) — A farmer couple from an upstream barangay in San Vicente, Dolores, Adelaida Cabe, 60, and Pedro Cabe, 71, have been enduring a risky boat ride for decades to sell their vegetables and copra in town.
“Makuri gad kay mahal an pasahe kada sako ngan kun mauran o hataas an tubig ha salog wara kami pakabuhi, diri man madadara an amon ani ha merkado,” Adelaida said.
(It’s really difficult because the fare per sack is expensive, and when it rains or the river water is high, we have no livelihood since we can’t bring our harvest to the market.)
As a response, House Minority Leader and 4Ps Partylist Rep. Marcelino Libanan led a groundbreaking ceremony for the P300 million Can-avid-Dolores-Maslog Road Project on Sunday, June 23.
In his message, Rep. Libanan recalled that the Jicontol Valley could only be accessed by foot during the 1980s. The residents in the town of Maslog and upstream barangays of Dolores like San Vicente were always last to receive services and had difficulty receiving medical attention, especially during emergencies.
“Mahuman ngani in nga kalsada wara na isolated nga bungto ha Eastern Samar. Maaabrehan an damo nga oportunidad, damo nga intervention ha aton agrikultura, madali na ang pangiskwela,” Libanan added.
(There will be no isolated town in Eastern Samar anymore once this road project is finished. Opportunities will be open, more agricultural intervention will be possible, and education will be more accessible.)
According to DPWH Eastern Samar District Engineer Domcelio Natividad, Rep. Libanan secured funding of P300 million for the road project. The project has three parts: a concrete road with an allocation of P96,427,823.34 (now an on-going construction); another concrete road with an allocation of P96,383,612; and the construction of slope protection and approaches to the four bridges, namely Villahermosa Bridge and Hinolaso Bridge 1, 2, and 3, in Dolores, with an allocation of P100 million.
The first road project is a 2-lane concrete road with a length of 1.4 km, a width of a width of 6.10 meters, and a thickness of a thickness of 9 inches located at Sitio Darahuway, Barangay Magongbong, Dolores. The second road project is also a 2-lane concrete road with a length of 1.4 km and a width of a width of 10 meters. The third part is about the approaches to the bridges requested by Rep. Libanan by Engr. Natividad.
Maslog Mayor Heraclio Santiago was thankful that the dream of Masloganons would come true with the construction of road projects. Maslog will no longer be an isolated town in Eastern Samar.
“Natuman na an maiha na nga hingyap nga karsada nga asya an pinaka-importante nga parte han pagprogreso han amon bungto,” Mayor Santiago mentioned.
(Our long dream of a road, which is an important part of our town’s progress, has now come true.)
“Kunta mahuman na in yana nga kalsada kay dako an mahibubulig hini ha amon nga mga parag-uma ngan ha ngatanan nga mga residente,” said Adelaida Cabe.
(We hope that this road will finally be finished because it will be a huge help to the farmers and to all residents.)
The project will be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office VIII under the Sustainable Infra Project Alleviating Gaps (SIPAG) project for FY 2024 GAA. (PIA Eastern Samar)
