Tourists can expect easier, safer travels to Tublay, Benguet, as the road development project around the area is finally completed. The local government expects that the new thoroughfare would help boost tourism and increase economic activities in the municipality.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) finished the construction of the Acop-Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun Junction to Bangho-Daclan-Basil-Tublay Central Road, serving as an alternate route for those visiting the agricultural district of Tublay. The route stretches over two kilometers, equipped with slope protection, curb and gutter, and concrete barrier in high elevation areas. The narrow road sections were also expanded from eight to nine meters.

The project costs P84.7 million, as reported by DPWH Benguet Second District Engineer Romelda Bangasan.

For his part, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said that the completion of the project can promote an easier exchange of goods between farms and markets. Given that Tublay is a major vegetable producer in the Cordilleras, the new infrastructure can help in boosting the local economy. It can effectively encourage tourists as well, stimulating the creation of more enterprises and attracting investments.

The Government’s “ROLL IT” Program

The new Acop-Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun Junction to Bangho-Daclan-Basil-Tublay Central Road is a project under the ROLL IT Program, which stands for Roads Leveraging Linkages for Industry and Trade. It is an initiative of the DPWH and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region I to promote economic growth and infrastructure development in the area.

In a nutshell, the program hopes to build more roads in the provinces to spur investments and construction of manufacturing and economic zones.

The two government agencies signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) in 2017. While the DPWH initiates and supervises the actual construction of roads, DTI evaluates the areas that require greater accessibility.

Formally launched in 2016, the ROLL IT Convergence Program is expected to be one of the most promising development projects under the “Golden Age of Infrastructure” in the country. As mentioned by the Philippine Board of Investments, during the first year of the initiative, P12.3 billion was allocated under the 2018 National Expenditure Program. The government identified 229 road projects spread in different parts of the country, spanning over 490 kilometers.

Industries are encouraged to submit project proposals to regional government offices, identifying areas that would benefit from road projects. The Regional Technical Working Groups (RTWG), composed of officials from DTI and DPWH Regional Offices, would then review the proposals, following a priority list of industries and ROLLERS guidelines.

From here, the team will forward the prioritized proposed projects to the Central Technical Working Group (CTWG), who will ensure compliance with the standards. After that, there will be a deliberation for the approval of the final list of projects by DTI and DPWH Secretaries. Once approved, they will submit it to the Department of Budget and Management for inclusion in the annual budget.

ROLL IT Projects

Two years ago, the Regional Development Council in Cordillera Administrative Region (RDC CAR) proposed over eighty projects for 2019 funding under the ROLL IT Program. As reported by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), there were 32 proposals in the municipality of Kalinga, 18 in Mountain Province, 13 each in Benguet and Abra, seven in Ifugao, and four in Apayao.

These were some of the notable projects per province in the RDC’s proposal list:

Abra – The construction and improvement of a 20-km road linking Junction Silet, San Juan to Tineg Boundary. The P500-million development was proposed to boost the coffee industry in the area.

Apayao – The construction and improvement of a 25-km access road in Madduang-Dagara-Maragat Road. The projected cost for this was P1.2 billion.

Benguet – The rehabilitation of Dada Junction-Beyeng-Bulisay-Kayapa-Alilem Ilocos Sur Road in Bakun. The P830-million development was proposed to improve the production and delivery of the province’s major goods, such as heirloom rice, banana, coffee, cacao, bamboo, and livestock.

Kalinga – The concreting of Poblacion to Gawa-an Municipal Road, bridge construction between the mentioned road and Kalinga-Abra National Highway. The P162-million development was proposed to improve Balbalan’s soap-making and food processing sectors.

Mountain Province – The construction and rehabilitation of Bato-Cuba-Balicanao-Pua-Mankigao Road linking Bato and Mankingao in Bauko. The P326-million development was proposed to strengthen the food processing and coffee industries in Barangays Sadsadan and Monamon Sur.

Overall, the projects aimed to connect the agricultural spaces in provinces to market centers to reduce transportation expenses and improve the earning capacity of locals.

Sources: DPWH, DTI, BOI, NEDA

Main photo via DPWH

This article was first published at Lamudi.com.ph