DPWH Leyte prioritizes road linkage of remote villages to main highways

TACLOBAN CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- The Second Leyte Engineering District of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH 2nd LED) is targeting to link village roads to the national highways in 2017, now that the office has completely widened and improved national roads under it.

Carlos Veloso, 2nd LED district engineer, said that this target is expected to be commenced in 2017 as among its priority.

Veloso said that the public works and highways in the area is now looking through ways to improve the mobility of people, goods, and services, especially those in the interior towns. These road linkages can provide access to employment opportunities and basic social services such as schools and health centers, he added.

In the second district, these roads can also help increase local trade and productivity, reduce transportation costs of farm input and output, and minimize post-harvest losses as it would connect farms and coastal areas to main roads.

The second district of Leyte has interior towns such as La Paz, Tabontabon, Julita and Pastrana. Its inland villages need to be linked with better and more accessible roads to increase economic activity in the area.

“The construction of these roads linking it to the main highway is an important element in the growth of rural areas. Such roads possibly have greater impact on small farmers than any other type of roads,” Veloso said.

These new road projects are expected to be commenced under the new administration. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/AHLETTE C. REYES/EGR