[ Manila Bulletin Online ] November 23, 2008
By MIKE U. CRISMUNDO
BUTUAN CITY — The economy of this city is expected to intensify further with the scheduled construction of the P1.937 billion "circumferential road" before the end of this year.
City Mayor Democrito D. Plaza II said the vital project, that will be constructed in the southern part of the city, will connect barangays Bit-os and Tungao, passing through Las Nieves in Agusan del Norte, and all the way to Esperanza and Bayugan City in Agusan del Sur.
"It is expected to start before the year ends," Plaza said.
As this developed, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Romeo S. Momo has already directed the DPWH Caraga regional office to lay down the ground preparation.
Plaza said that with the various heavy equipment of Cavite Development – the lowest bidder for the project, the circumferential road is expected to be completed within the period of 18 months.
He said the circumferential road is part of the city government’s farm-to-market road program, which would provide accessibility to the local farmers to transport their agricultural products to the market and nearby areas.
He also revealed that the project is being funded by the national government through President Arroyo’s commitment in the development of various areas in Mindanao.
"The government’s thrust of economic boom through improved tourism activities is evident in the construction of road widening and improvement, and bridges," Plaza said.
The chief executive and other city officials here expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the President’s "commitment and concern" to make this city more progressive.
"This project is a big help in the two Agusan provinces and the cities of Butuan and Bayugan," said Plaza.
Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will continue without let up its massive tree planting activities in its vision to fulfill President Arroyo’s "greening for life" program in the countryside as it targets to plant some 700,000 tree seedlings of various species next year in the land-locked province of Agusan del Sur in Northeastern Mindanao.
The program, spearheaded by the DENR in Agusan del Sur, the local government units, line agencies of the government and non-government organizations, is targeting all watershed areas in the province for the massive tree planting activities next year.
It was gathered that for the past three years since the start of the project, close to one million tree seedlings of various species were already planted in Agusan del Sur.
The DENR has adopted a new approach to ensure that the "poorest of the poor" upland dwellers will benefit from the P2 billion reforestation fund that will be allotted by President Arroyo next year.
DENR Secretary Lito Atienza said that reforestation contracts will be directly awarded to upland communities next year, as contractors who may only use the upland dwellers as laborers will be eliminated from the process.
