The Samar provincial government is eyeing a special allocation to fund the rehabilitation of damaged sections of Samar highway. Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan said the provincial government had talks with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan regarding the proposal to fast-track the rehabilitation of the most critical sections. Tan said Bonoan assured her of the special funding, but this would not cover the entire rehabilitation project. 'We must make sure that this will be released next year. Secretary Bonoan assured that on top of what is on the regular, there is special funding for Samar, but this will not cover complete rehabilitation,' Tan told reporters on Wednesday. To fully rehabilitate the damaged road from San Juanico Bridge to Northern Samar, Tan said the government needs PHP6 billion to PHP9 billion. 'While waiting for foreign funding assistance and inclusion in the General Appropriations Act, we need this special fund to somehow improve the road condition in Samar,' Tan added. DPWH said earlier that the 109-km damaged road in Samar province along the nautical highway that links Luzon to Mindanao had only secured PHP18.35 million budget for its repair this year. The current budget is not enough to fix the bumpy road, specifically in the second congressional district of Samar province, according to DPWH 8 (Eastern Visayas) Director Edgar Tabacon. 'The section of Maharlika Highway in Samar badly needs rehabilitation since the soil is unstable and some road sections were not concreted before the application of asphalt overlay,' he said. The PHP18.35 million budget for Samar's 2nd District this year is way below the PHP100 million outlay for maintenance set aside before 2020, Tabacon said. The reduction of maintenance funds is one of the consequences of the abolition of the Road Board, established through Republic Act 8794 to ensure the efficient management of the Motor Vehicle User's Charge (MVUC), also known as road users' tax. The MVUC used to be the major source of funds for road maintenance nationwide. In 2019, then-president Rodrigo Duterte signed a law abolishing the Road Board and allowing the disposition of funds from the MVUC. Earlier, various groups have petitioned for the immediate rehabilitation of Samar roads which will pave the way for more active economic activities in the province.
Source: Philippines News Agency