Photo from moalboal.org
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu Provincial Government promised to implement another big-ticket project that has been planned for over a decade now.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, in a press conference, announced that she would continue her administration’s agenda of improving and expanding infrastructural projects in the province. This includes the long-overdue Malapascua Circumferential Road.
For her fifth term at the Capitol, Garcia said, the provincial government plans to start civil works for the Malapascua Circumferential Road.
“It took quite some time because we needed to get the road right of way. But finally, we will be starting the Malapascua Island Circumferential Road,” Garcia said.
Malapascua is an island that belongs to the territorial jurisdiction of Daanbantayan town at the northernmost tip of the province.
Local officials in Daanbantayan, for their part, welcomed the governor’s recent pronouncement.
“We’re very excited and I hope ma realize na siya,” said reelected Mayor Sun Shimura.
Currently, Malapascua relies on barangay roads as a means for residents and tourists to travel around the island, said Logon Barangay Captain Limuel Daño.
If the circumferential road is completed, this will shorten travel time and improve vehicle traffic, particularly among tourists, Daño said.
“In the meantime, nagpadayun pa gihapon ug road concreting atong mga barangay roads kay mao ni sila muconnect sa atong circumferential road,” he said.
Based on CDN’s archives, the Malapascua Circumferential Road is part of the Capitol’s Malapascua Development Plan that aims to improve infrastructure on the island to better accommodate tourists.
Malapascua is one of Cebu’s most popular tourist destinations and has gained fame as a world-renowned diving site.
The island serves as a jump-off point for diving and marine life enthusiasts, particularly those who want to witness thresher sharks around its seas.
The circumferential road project was first introduced in 2004.
Between 2014 and 2015, the Capitol initially allocated P5 million to start construction for the roughly five-kilometer road network. But plans fell through since most affected lot owners were hesitant to sell portions of their properties to the province.
However, this year, Daño said, they managed to convince almost all of the affected property owners for the road right-of-way (RROW) stage.
“Around 20 lot owners, including my own family, agreed and have signed the road right of way documents,” the village chief added in Cebuano.
Daanbantayan is a first-class municipality located approximately 140 kilometers north of Cebu City.
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