A ranking official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has issued a stern reminder to all government engineers, consultants and contractors involved in the on-going projects under the Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project (IGCMRSP).
In a recent coordination meeting at Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain stressed the importance of executing projects efficiently and effectively, adhering to the highest standards of quality and safety.
“It is imperative that we approach our work with a strong sense of responsibility and dedication. Delays and substandard work are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Sadain said.
The ₱14.5-billion IGCMRSP is funded through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and is being implemented by the DPWH Unified Project Management Office – Roads Management Cluster II-Multilateral (UPMO – RMC II).
To date, the agency has achieved an overall accomplishment of more than 71 percent for IGCMRSP. This included 140 kilometers of concrete road and the completion of 14 bridges.
IGCMRSP supports the goal of improved physical connectivity, which is vital to the country’s development efforts as outlined in the Marcos administration’s Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 and the eight-point socio-economic agenda.
The project encompasses the construction or improvement of seven road subprojects with a total length of 151.97 kilometers, including 28 bridges and one over sea bridge sub-project, the Guicam Bridge, which spans 1.21 kilometers, all located in the Zamboanga Peninsula.
The project also included the construction of three bridges with a total length of 1,790.66 meters, including approaches, located in the Tawi-Tawi.
During the meeting, Sadain conducted an in-depth review of the accomplishments against the timeline of each sub-projects and directed field engineers, contractors, and consultants to adopt schemes to mitigate delays.
Efforts to expedite work involved the deployment of more equipment and manpower on a round-the-clock work basis to compensate for lost time in project implementation. The delays have been attributed to logistical challenges, weather conditions, and unforeseen technical issues.
Sadain inspected the Guicam Bridge sub-project in Zamboanga Sibugay, accompanied by some UPMO project directors.
Sadain reminded the contractor, Grace Construction Corp., of the timelines and performance benchmarks set for the project.
The realization of this inter-island bridge project complementing the 29.70-kilometer Lutiman-Guicam-Olutanga Road, a completed sub-project of IGCMRSP, is meant to enhance the economic activities and logistics in the municipalities of Alicia and Olutanga Island towards other towns of Zamboanga Sibugay.
Meanwhile, the construction of the 541-meter Nalil-Sikkiat Bridge in Tawi-Tawi by the China Wuyi Co. under the supervision of UPMO project manager Ernante Antonio is progressing rapidly.
At more than 60 percent completed, the speedy construction reflects the commitment to delivering crucial infrastructure that benefits local communities and stimulates growth in the area.
This project is part of the national government’s efforts to enhance infrastructure in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao, improving connectivity and supporting economic development.
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