In support to the Duterte Administration’s Build Build Build program, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is closely monitoring the completion of a total of P18.03 billion worth of provincial road projects through the Conditional Matching Grant to Provinces (CMGP) for Road Repair, Rehabilitation, and Improvement Program.
DILG OIC-Secretary Eduardo M. Año says that of the P18.03-billion, seven provincial road projects worth P180 million have already been completed, while the remaining P17.85- billion fund is allotted for 238 on-going projects, 45 projects on procurement phase, and 25 projects on pre-procurement stage.
“Provincial roads connect people, products and services from inner barangays to the economic and government hubs and vice versa. We are very happy that the completed provincial roads now bring better connectivity for our people to easily traverse to and from the centers of growth in their respective areas,” says Año.
The seven completed CMGP projects, which involves the concreting of an aggregate total length of 13.67 kilometers of provincial road networks in Nueva Viscaya, are the following: Nagsabaran-Decabacan Road; Diadi Junction-Escoting- Arwas Road; Batu-Magapuy- Paitan Road; Kinacao-Kurasay- Kinalabasa Road; San Fernado-Sto. Niño-Manaing Road; Bangana- Tucanon-Tabueng Road; and Junction National-Batu- Balintugon Road.
He says that the Department is also monitoring the progress of other local access road projects that are still in various stages of project implementation.
Año explains that local access road projects take time to complete because the preparation of initial documents alone takes two to three months and the procurement phase needs another one to two months. These steps are crucial in contributing to the optimal quality of the road works to be implemented.
The actual project construction can range from six months to two years depending on the nature and length of the project as stipulated in the initial documents.
Championing governance reforms
To fast track project completion, the Department through the Office of the Project Development Services (OPDS)-CMGP Project Management Office (PMO) implements key governance reforms in the areas of local road management and public financial management for the CMGP projects.
Such reforms include the direct release of allocation for provincial road projects by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to the provinces upon the completion of documentary requirements and endorsement of the DILG. Only the funds for capacity development and project management are lodged in the Department.
The Department also conducted coaching, mentoring, consultations, and workshops/trainings on seven key topics to enrich the knowledge and skills of the Provincial government staff on the facets of good local governance. These topics include Local Road Information Management; Local Road Network Development Planning; Local Road Construction and Maintenance; Local Road Asset Management; Internal Audit; Budgeting, Revenue Generation and Expenditure Management; and Procurement.
By the end of 2017, 78 provinces were provided with training on Local Road Network Development Planning, Civil 3D-aided Road Safety and Detailed Engineering Design of Roads and Bridges, Contract Management and Construction Supervision, Constructors’ Performance and Evaluation System (CPES), Agency Procurement Compliance and Performance Indicator (APCPI), Road Safety Audit, Bridge Design, Internal Audit, and Improvement of Revenue Generation Strategies.
“Rest assured that the DILG will continue to be relentless in the pursuit of providing better access in our provincial roads so that there will be faster economic growth in the provinces throughout the country,” Año said.
Aside from the CMGP, a total of 145 completed projects amounting to P4.618 billion had been administered by the DILG under the Konkreto at Ayos na Lansangan ang Daan Tungo sa Pangkalahatang Kaunlaran or KALSADA program. There are also 69 ongoing projects amounting to P3.62 billion that are still continually being monitored by the CMGP PMO.
