Rep. Manuel Sagarbarria of the 2nd district of Negros Oriental has pledged to allocate P100 million for inclusion in the 2019 budget for the construction of two bridges across the Banica river.
Sagarbarria made the announcement after the two spillways remained unrepaired from the damage brought about the last year’s floods.
Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo said while he welcomes the congressman’s pronouncement of funding the two bridges, time is of the essence. He said that the funds from the office of Rep. Sagarbarria could perhaps be used to build more bridges at the Banica River in the near future.
The Mayor announced that the City already found the needed PHP 100 million from local funds for the two bridges to be constructed in lieu of the spillways in Barangay Taclobo (one connecting to Colon Extension and the other to Barangay Bagacay).
On the other hand, the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NOCCI) is also looking at proposing to Dumaguete Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo that the construction of the two bridges be given to the private sector under a Build, Operate, and Transfer scheme.
A statement from the City Information Office said the city is confident that it can jumpstart the project within this year because it only needs appropriation from the legislative council.
The construction of the two bridges is the mayor’s response to address the traffic problem in the city, as well as a mitigating measures in times of calamity, considering that there are many residents living along the banks of the Banica River, the statement continued.
Meanwhile, some consultants of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have offered “free” technical help to Dumaguete for the construction of the bridges. (Judy Flores Partlow with a report from Juancho Gallarde/PNA)
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