Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III has expressed support on a proposal to realign funds from the Naga-Carcar road widening project to the rehabilitation of the Manipis road in Talisay City.
“The road really needs to be rehabilitated,” he told reporters yesterday. However, the governor sees the move will also have an impact.
Taking money from the allocation for the widening of the south road will stall development in southern Cebu, he said.
For Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong, some areas will be at the losing end with the realignment, but Naga is lucky that its highway is already widened.
“It’s a pity, but there’s nothing we can do if they will push through with that,” he said.
First District Representative Gerald Anthony Gullas announced Monday that if the road widening will be stalled for long, he will realign the project’s funds to the landslide-prone barangay in Talisay.
He suggested to Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson to split the amount in the 2015 budget allocation. According to Gullas, the secretary was amenable to the proposal.
The P88 million is part of the proposed national budget for next year.
Gullas said that the budget will either be split in half, meaning P44 million for each project, or P50 million will be allocated for the road widening and the rest will go to Manipis.
The barangay experienced last Tuesday its third landslide this year.
Gullas hopes that the money will be realigned. Otherwise, the budget will be reverted to the national treasury.
Engineers suggested to plant coconut trees along the road to reduce the risk of landslides.
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