KALIBO, Aklan – The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a measure seeking to rename the Kalibo-Banga-Balete-Batan-Altavas highway to Congressman Allen Salas Quimpo national highway.
House Bill 624 is pushing for the name change in honor of the highly esteemed politician in the province.
First District’s Cong. Carlito Marquez, who authored the bill, said this move will immortalize the noble acts of Quimpo.
“He transformed Aklan into a progressive province and also significantly underwrote to the development of the country and many generations of Filipinos when he authored or co-authored several landmark legislations, and passed into laws, which revolutionized and rationalized social order in basic and higher education and skills development,” said Marquez, who principally authored the measure.
Quimpo served as vice mayor of Kalibo, Aklan from 1980 to 1988, mayor from 1988 to 1992 and three-term congressman of the Lone District of Aklan from 1992 to 2001. Quimpo was born on August 23, 1945 and died on December 14, 2016.
The highway is part of 47.587 kilometers stretch of road that traverses the barangays of Poblacion, Andagao, Estancia, Tigayon and Linabuan Norte in Kalibo, barangays of Linabuan Sur, Jumarap, Mambog, Poblacion, Tabayon, Libas and Venturanza in Banga, barangays of Fulgencio, Feliciano, Calizo, Morales, Poblacion, Cortes and Aranas in Balete, barangays of Lalab and Cabugao in Batan, barangays of Cabugao, Linayasan, Odiong, Poblacion, Poblacion, Man-up and Cabangila to Capiz-Aklan boundary.
The west section of Kalibo highway comprising the Kalibo bridge, Roxa Avenue, Mabini Street and Desposorio Maagma Sr. Street would not be part of the renamed national highway.
Quimpo, a lawyer and holder of doctorate degree, authored the conversion of Aklan State College of Agriculture in Banga, Aklan into a state university, otherwise known as the Aklan State University (Republic Act No. 9055).
Marquez stressed the late Atty. Quimpo was also admired for his environmental advocacy and sustainable mangrove forest management in Kalibo Mangrove Reforestation Project in New Buswang, Kalibo, Aklan, which was awarded the Galing Pook in 1998 and UN FAO for Exemplary Forest Management in the whole of Asia and Pacific in 2005. (With a report from Akean Forum/PN)
