Army engineers to lead road project in 'reds' area

By Jeehan V. Fernandez

The Philippine Army Engineers will soon start the construction of Leon-San Remigio Road Project, 3 rd Infantry Division public information officer Maj. Lyndon J. Sollesta said in a statement.

Sollesta stressed the plan was conceptualized in order to connect the interior portion of the towns of Leon, Iloilo and San Remigio, Antique, passing through the mountainous Iloilo-Antique Boundary.

According to Sollesta, the total length of the road is 55.398 kilometers or 32.66 kilometers in Iloilo side while 22.738 in Antique. The whole stretch of road section in Antique is entirely graveled and already passable.

In Iloilo , the 24.80 kilometers is complete with gravel surfacing while the 4.201 kilometers is presently under construction by a private contractor directed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-6). The 3.661 kilometers remaining section is endorsed for funding.

“The entire project site is considered as New People's Army (NPA)-infested area by the 3 rd ID, thus the 32 Division Reconnaissance Company (DRC) is deployed in Antique while the 31 DRC and 12 Infantry Battalion are at the other side,” Sollesta cited.

Sollesta noted that Regional Development Council (RDC-6) chairperson Antique Governor Salvacion Z. Perez had personally requested President Gloria M. Arroyo for the allocation of P103.40 million for the construction of the road gap along Brgy. Victoria to junction Igtubli in Iloilo side.

The project will cover the construction of 3.661 kilometers road and seven Reinforced Concrete Deck Girder (RCDG) bridges with the total length of 128 lineal meters.

Sollesta said that once it is completed, the whole 55.398 kilometers stretch of Leon-San Remigio road will be passable to all kinds of vehicle and will eventually develop the area considering it has the agriculture and tourism potentials.

“Likewise, its completion will eventually curb insurgency, enhance accessibility of the locals to basic services and develop more market for their agricultural produce particularly the vegetables in San Remigio and Leon,” Sollesta added.

“The governor explained that this will only be realized when the Philippine Army's 53 rd Engineer Brigade based in Cebu City led by Col. Reynaldo N. Bangit and its implementing arm in Panay Island or the 552 nd Engineer Construction Battalion under the leadership of Ltc. Judy B. Vallejo, will come in to undertake the project because private contractors are now hesitant to accept it,” said Sollesta.

He pointed out this is because there is a serious problem on peace and order in the project site as experienced by the construction firms previously hired by the DPWH.

“Meanwhile, the 53 rd Engineer Brigade, armed with its mandate to supplement the task of DPWH on countryside development, particularly to areas where peace and order are not guaranteed, is heeding the call of the RDC-6 chief,” Sollesta said.

“The unit had informed Perez that the Army Engineers are capable to implement the project and willing to extend their services to the people,” he added.