ILOILO – Residents of three barangays in the municipality of Oton could look forward to improved living conditions.
A P52.8-million road project in Oton has started – the concreting of the 3.5-kilometer San Antonio-Lambuyao-Abilay road.
The project is being funded by the national government through the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Conditional Matching Grant to Provinces (CMGP) program for road repair, rehabilitation and improvement.
“Our lifelong dream of having our road concreted will be fulfilled,” said Barangay Captain Antonio Masculino Jr. of Abilay Sur.
DILG regional director Anthony Nuyda said Iloilo province obtained the CMGP grant because it is a consistent recipient of the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG).
SGLG confirms the integrity and good performance of local governments. Iloilo province passed the rigid assessment for seven core areas: Financial Administration; Disaster Preparedness; Social Protection; Peace and Order; Business Friendliness and Competitiveness; Environmental Protection; and Tourism Culture and the Arts.
Construction of the San Antonio-Lambuyao-Abilay road would be undertaken by F. Gurrea Construction, Inc. for 230 calendar days.
Mayor Carina Flores thanked the provincial government for ensuring that her three brangays benefit from the CMGP.
Once the road is completed, she said, the people of barangays San Antonio, Lambuyao, Abilay could improve their living conditions.
According to Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., next year another P20 million through CMGP would be allotted to extend the road concreting up to Barangay Abilay Norte.
Meanwhile, Engineer Gracianito Lucero, chief of the Provincial Engineer’s Office, said CMGP would also be funding the following:
* rehabilitation / improvement of Poblacion-Zarragoza Road, Balasan – P35,833,888
* rehabilitation / improvement of Jelicuon-Amiroy-Mina Road, New Lucena / Mina (two road sections) – P64,131,937
According to Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., he first endorsed the San Antonio-Lambuyao-Abilay road project to the World Bank under the Philippine Rural Development Program but it did not qualify due to certain technical issues. (With a report from Erly Garcia, Capitol News/PN)
