BORONGAN CITY (PIA) -- “We’re very happy and thankful that the road project, which will provide accessibility to transport our products to nearby municipalities, even to Samar and Leyte, will soon be finished,” expressed Jimmy Ulpati, Kagawad of Barangay Del Pilar, Maydolong, Eastern Samar.

Residents from the upstream barangays of Del Pilar, Canloterio, Patag, San Gabriel, and Tagaslian in the same town also shared the same sentiments with Kagawad Ulpati, as the barangays rely on selling root crops and vegetables as their main source of livelihood.

Another resident also shared that the paved road project will result in higher income for they can now easily reach the markets without traversing by motorboat to sell their products.

During President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) held at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City, the president cited the infrastructure gains and plans under the 'Build Better  More' program of his administration.

He announced that the P8.3 trillion Build Better More (BBM) infrastructure program would address the economic issues and connect islands through bridges, expressways, and road projects.

“One of the keys to continuing economic growth is infrastructure development. So, we will build better, and more.  Our 8.3-trillion peso ‘Build Better More’ Program is currently in progress and being vigorously implemented,” he said, adding that the whole country will benefit from the 194 projects under the BBM program, 123 of which are entirely new projects.

“The underlying logic to our infrastructure development is economic efficiency.  We are opening up all gateways to mobilize goods and services at less cost and in less time, and ultimately, to drive the economy forward.”

The Maydolong-Basey Road in Eastern Samar will also benefit the students who are studying in schools outside the upstream barangays of Maydolong.

According to Maria, 48, her six children failed to finish their studies not only because of sheer poverty but also because of the difficulty in accessing even the nearest high school from their barangay, which is why the road project gave hope to her daughter Karen Ladiao, 18, enrolled in Lapgap National High School as a senior high student.

“If possible, I want my youngest child to finish her studies and earn a degree,” she added. 

Karen shared that she has to walk three hours from their village just to reach their school due to the lack of public transport in the area.

Moreover, the project could eventually cut travel time from Borongan City, the province's capital, to Tacloban City by about 2 hours from the current travel time of 3.5 hours.

House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Representative Marcelino C. Libanan, who played a big role in securing the multi-million fund for the project, led the official groundbreaking and time capsule laying of the construction of the Maydolong-Basey road on July 16 at Brgy. Del Pilar, Maydolong, Eastern Samar.

The said road project amounting to P333,791,589 from the 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA) fund under the Sustainable Infra Project Alleviating Gaps (SIPAG) project is 2.48 kilometers in length, 6.7 meters in width, and 0.28 meter in thickness, with shoulder, fences, drainage, and signages.

In his message, Rep. Libanan talked about the hurdles that they have to go through to realize such major projects involving multi-million pesos of public funds. "Parang isa kang runner na malapit na sa finish line, para matamaan mo ito, 'yan ang pinakamahirap," Libanan likened. (You're just like an athlete who is already near the finish line, and you have to aim for your goal just so you could clinch it).

Rep. Libanan is optimistic that the project could somehow alter the lives of the locals for the better, and help in pulling the province out of the 20 poorest provinces in the country.

In line with this, Libanan also announced that a similar P100-M road project will also be separately implemented in Basey, Samar, and another P200-M road project in January 2024.

He also shared his vision to construct a four-lane major arterial road in the upcoming years. "Sisikapin naming dalawa ni Speaker sa 2024 at 2025, 'yung pinakamahirap na portion na 'yan, magtutulungan kami para matapos 'yan. Diri ordinaryo ini nga highway, i-prepare natin na four lanes ito, major arterial road ito," said Libanan.

(I, along with House Speaker Martin Romualdez, will work together to realize this by the year 2024 and 2025. This will not just be an ordinary highway, this is a four-lane, major arterial road).

Along with this, Libanan also appealed to the people to take part in the government's cause to protect and preserve the environment amid the quest for development. 

"Let us not compromise the safety and protection of our environment. Let us showcase what we can do in Eastern and Western Samar,” Libanan appealed. 

The solon also hopes that through these projects, the government will soon be able to eradicate insurgencies in the province and be one with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s call for unity in the country as a whole.

As of June 2023, the BBM program has also constructed, maintained, and upgraded more than 4,000 kilometers of roads and around 500 bridges across the country.  (MMP/VTG/PIA Eastern Samar)