An embankment serving as a temporary access road connecting the municipalities of Bugasong and Laua-an in Antique province is now passable to all types of vehicles since Sunday. The embankment was washed out when the Paliwan River overflowed last week due to heavy rains caused by Typhoon Betty-enhanced southwest monsoon, forcing commuters to take a boat ride just to get across. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Antique District Engineer Mark Anthony Alejo, who appeared before the regular session of the Provincial Board on Monday, said the embankment that they reconstructed on June 3 is a palliative measure to provide access to commuters going to the northern town of the province. ‘The embankment had already been opened on Sunday, June 4,’ Alejo said. He added that they are now gathering the needed components of the proposed Bailey bridge, which they target to build this month, from the district engineering offices (DEOs) in the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz and Negros Occidental. Assistant District Engineer Bernadeth Betsy Uy, in the same session, informed the provincial board that a PHP25 million fund is embedded in the PHP300 million budget for the construction of the new Paliwan Bridge. ‘Normally, the bailey bridge is being constructed as a detour for light vehicles,’ she said. The 60-meter Bailey bridge could be completed within two months while the Paliwan Bridge is targeted to be finished next year.
Source: Philippines News Agency