Albay to embark on P321M road project for upland areas

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LEGAZPI CITY – The province of Albay will pursue in 2014 the construction of a road network that involves a total amount of P321 million, which is included in the 2014 General Appropriations Act.

The project, part of the Guicadale Economic Platform, will expand the developable land area of Albay by 81,123 hectares, mostly around the South Luzon International Airport (SLIA) that is now undergoing construction, according to Albay Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda.

Guicadale stands for the adjoining towns of Guinobatan, Camalig and Daraga and the city of Legazpi.

The Guicadale Economic Platform was proposed by the Provincial Government of Albay, which also conducted the feasibility study that was completed in July 2008.

“This is the key geostrategic intervention of Albay for spatial integration of upland areas suitable to settlements and commercial development,” Salceda said.

He said the road network project targeted to be started in 2014 consists of a circumferential road and new arterial roads branching out from the urban centers of the three towns and this city.

The road network includes the Cotmon-Maninila-Taplacon-Taloto road costing P100 million; Tabon-Tabon–Gabawan–Estanza-Taysan-Puro, P81 million; Guicadale to Donsol (Mayon-Bigao-San Vicente-Ibaugan-Gogon), P140 million; and Salvacion–White Deer, P 100 million.

The project will consist of 17 road sections, wherein 11 sectors will comprise the circumferential road and six sections are arterial roads.

It will also involve new road opening and improvement of existing ones with a total length of 109.3 kilometers.

The Albay governor said the estimated total cost of the project is P 854.2 million -- broken down into local and barangay roads, P 739.5 million; national roads, P 114.7 million.

“It will benefit a total population of 187,314 covering the local government units’ territories of Guicadale,” Salceda said.

The Regional Development Council for Bicol, which is chaired by Salceda, approved the road network project during its full council meeting in May this year.

“The project was designed to encourage economic activities safe from the threats posed by Mayon volcano eruptions, lahar flows, floods and tsunamis,” the green economist said.

Salceda, a noted investment adviser and co-chair of the board of the US$ 100-billion United Nations Green Climate Fund, envisions the project to eventually realize the goal of creating Mega Daraga and Metro Albay.

“Aside from being far from the threats posed by Mayon, its other expected benefits include efficient access to the Southern Luzon International Airport, safer relocation sites for families affected by natural calamities, new economic investment opportunities, increased farm income through reduced transport costs, improved living condition through efficient access to health and welfare facilities, linkage of agricultural areas to the market centers and integration of the economies of Albay and Sorsogon provinces,” he stressed.

The project, Salceda added, is consistent with the Regional Physical Framework Plan in terms of land use, settlement and infrastructure planning.

The Economic Internal Rate of Return of the project is estimated at 23.65 percent while the net present value is P 872.54 million. --Floreño G. Solmirano