MANILA -- The Department of Public Works and Highways in Region 10 reported on Saturday that a total of 299,978 jobs have been generated since the government’s Build, Build, Build program rolled out in Northern Mindanao in 2016.

In an interview with Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, DPWH Regional Director Zenaida Tan also said that for the first semester of the year 2021, projects under BBB have generated 37,988 jobs in Region 10.

“Maanaa o wala may pandemya ang DPWH magpabilin nga walay paglubad ang paghatag og serbisyo ngadto sa publiko [Whether or not there’s a pandemic, the DPWH continues its unfading and unrelenting efforts to deliver our services to the public],” she said.

“Tinood nga makasinati kita og ginagmay nga kahasol samtang ongoing ang atong mga proyekto apan kini walay bili kung itandi sa mga benepisyo ug kaayo nga atong maani kung mahuman na ang mga proyekto [It’s true that we might experience a little inconvenience while the projects are ongoing, but the benefits that we will gain from these would be incomparable once these projects are finished],” she added.

Among identified big-ticket infrastructure projects in the region are the Malaybalay bypass road, Valencia bypass road, the Cagayan de Oro Coastal Road, the CDO Convention Center, CDO flood risk management project, CDO-Iligan alternate route, the Panguil Bay Bridge project, and the CDO drainage project.

The two bypass roads in Bukidnon were already completed, which helped reduce travel time in the cities of Malaybalay and Valencia.

The agency has also proposed for Phase 2 of the CDO Coastal Road Project, a 9.3 km extension of the project that will traverse from Barangay Gusa to Barangay Puerto. The said project will need P10.8 billion and is expected to be finished in 2026 if funded in the proposed timeline.
“Kung gali matapos na, masolusyunan na nato ang problema sa trapiko ug ang kadugayon sa byahe gikan Puerto to Igpit, gikan 1 hour and a half ngadto sa 25 minutes nalang [Once finished, we will decongest traffic and reduce travel time between Puerto and Igpit, from 1 hour and a half to only 25 minutes],” Engr. Tan said.

DPWH also completed the construction of the main building of the Cagayan de Oro Convention Center, a project that was initiated in 2001 but was halted due to various issues surrounding the said project.

Necessary requirements have been undertaken for the turnover of the project to the Tourism Infrastructure Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).

“Dili nato maikalimod nga usa kini sa mga proyekto nga nahimong kontrobersya tungod sa dugay nga panahon nga wala kini nahuman. Tungod sa Build, Build, Build Program sa atong gobyerno, nasresolba ra gyud ang problema sa yuta ug napadayon kini tungod sa insaktong paggawas sa kinahanglanong pondo [It is undeniable that this project was controversial because of its long-overdue completion. Through the Build, Build, Build of the government, we were able to resolve the land dispute and the project was continued because of the disbursement of the budget],” Engr. Tan said.

The agency is seeking additional allocation for the construction of other facilities at the site of the convention center, including a car park and office building, restaurant, and a pavilion.
“Kung kini mahuman sa kanatibuk-an, mapahingusgan sa Cagayan de Oro Convention Center ang pamuhunan, pagpalambo sa ekonomiya, kauswagan sa imprastruktura ug turismo ug maghatag ug daghang trabaho. Kining tanan makahatag og dakong kita sa atong syudad [Once this is completed, the Cagayan de Oro Convention Center will boost investment opportunities, develop the economy, and promote the development of local infrastructures and tourism. This will likewise create jobs. All this will help generate income for the City],” she added.

Engr. Tan also reported that the Flood Risk Management Project along the Cagayan de Oro River is now 75.27% accomplished based on the total budget cost.

The CDO-Iligan Alternate Route is also ongoing construction, with a stretch from Barangay Bulua in Cagayan de Oro City to Barangay Digkilaan in Iligan City, and has a total estimated cost of P4 billion.

As of July 30, 2021, the game-changer Panguil Bay Bridge Project is already 22% accomplished with target completion by the year 2023.

To diminish flood risk in three identified catchments in Cagayan de Oro City, the DPWH is also implementing the CDO drainage project.

According to Engr. Tan, local job opportunities will still increase because of the anticipated job fair this month dubbed as the Bigay Trabaho DPWH Job Fair 2021.

“Pinaagi sa maong lakang, mamahimo kitang makahatag og local employment opportunities sa atong mga kaigsoonan nga qualified sa mga bakanteng posisiyon saaton buhatan ug apil pa sa atong partners nga construction firms [Through the initiative, we will be able to provide local employment opportunities to our fellow Filipinos who are qualified for vacant positions in our offices, and also in our partner construction firms],” she said. (PCOO / with photo from DPWH)