BY NYARIKA DOMANAIS
ILOILO City – The Iloilo Sunset Boulevard, a concrete road stretching from Mandurriao district to Oton, Iloilo, has partially opened to the public for jogging and walking activities.
This “soft opening” was made during the Department of Public Works and Highways’’ (DPWH) 126th founding anniversary celebrations yesterday.
Officer-in-charge Engr. Sanny Boy Oropel said all debris had been cleared from the newly opened section to ensure safety for users.
The opening also featured a fun walk, tree planting, and Zumba session.
Iloilo former senator Franklin Drilon who championed the boulevard’s construction expressed optimism about the project’s impact, saying, “Today, we see a road that is about to be completed. By December, this will be accessible to everyone and is expected to be the most beautiful road in the country.”
He also emphasized the importance of continuing good work on other projects to enhance service delivery to the populace. He mentioned the inauguration of the Jalaur dam next year, which has completed construction and is currently in the phase of water storage.
The dam is set to service approximately 32,000 hectares of rice land in Iloilo, marking a significant advancement in agricultural infrastructure.
Once fully completed, the Iloilo Sunset Boulevard, also known as the Iloilo River North Bank Road, is expected to significantly reduce travel time from Iloilo City to southern parts of the province.
This project, termed a “game changer” by Uswag Iloilo party-list’s Cong. Jojo Ang, includes a 4.972-kilometer road with a total investment of P2.0712 billion, of which P1.5912 billion has already been disbursed.
An additional P300 million is proposed for allocation in 2025.
Currently, the project’s Section I (Iloilo side) is 72% complete, while Section II (Oton side) has reached 90% completion./PN
