DAVAO ORIENTAL – The Provincial Engineering Office says that the ongoing construction of the overflow structure situated between the boundaries of Barangay Libudon in the City of Mati and Barangay San Isidro in Lupon town will proceed as scheduled.
The said overflow structure, which is among the components of the 14-kilometer “MATAVISAN” farm-to-market road funded under the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP), is expected to be completed this year.
For the overflow structure alone, according to the Provincial Engineering Office (PEO), the completion rate is already at 50 percent.
The Provincial Engineering Office (PEO) assured that the ground works will resume next week which was temporarily suspended in the past month amid queries of the project’s viability which necessitates a dialogue with the barangay officials.
Being a PRDP project financed through loan proceeds from the World Bank, the Department of Agriculture and counterpart from the Provincial Government, the project, says the PEO, has undergone a strict and lengthy process based on the standards and guidelines set by the World Bank.
“The plan for the project underwent technical preparation for two years under the scrutiny of regional and national offices,” says the PEO, considering that the “MATAVISAN” project, like all other PRDP projects, involves a huge funding.
Meanwhile, the overflow structure was constructed to lessen effects of flooding in the flood-prone community nearby situated in a low-lying area. “Based on the feasibility studies conducted, building an overflow structure in the area is the best option,” said the PEO.
SUPPORT TO AGRICULTURE
The PEO said that they are now focusing to complete the farm-to-market road which is a huge support to agriculture as it is set to benefit more than 6,000 residents in four farming villages in Lupon town.
Traversing at least 3,905.55 hectares of farmlands, the “MATAVISAN” area, which stands for Barangays Macangao, Tagboa, New Visayas, San Isidro in Lupon town, was chosen for the project as it has a huge potential as a production area for high-value crops such as banana, coconut, and rice.
Following the PRDP’s vision of enhancing rural infrastructures to boost agricultural productivity and fight poverty altogether, this road project is touted to increase investment and open up new economic opportunities not only on farming but also in terms of creating jobs and establishing small businesses along the road network.
The PRDP believes that in order to reach the full potential of production areas, the government must first enhance infrastructure to support agriculture. Infrastructure especially those that boost accessibility are considered a viable investment to eliminate poverty. Photos by Eden Jhan Licayan
