By Anna Valmero
SIARGAO ISLAND, SURIGAO DEL NORTE—To support the growth of tourism in the surfing capital of the Philippines, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) assured the completion of multi-million-peso road projects here.
As of 2010, only 66.85 kilometers or less than half (43.68 percent) of the total 153.036 kilometers of national secondary roads in Siargao Island and Bucas Grande Island were paved, said DPWH Siargao district engineer Salvador E. Montil Jr.
This means most of the surfers and tourists, who go here to enjoy the Cloud 9 surfing waves and compete, have to endure rocky rough roads during an hour-long travel from the Siargao airport to resorts in Barangay Catangnan in the town of General Luna.
In an interview with LOQAL.ph last year, Siargao native and Cloud 101 resort owner Welia Alipayo-Archibald said that one time, a surfer fell from a rented motorbike on the way to her resort, adding that this “is the worst road he has seen.”
Welia said she is hopeful that the road project would help improve the travel to the island’s resorts and also speedup the delivery of market goods. She hope the new roads would open up more jobs for local drivers.
Jeepneys only travel in towns with paved road to haul farm produce and kopra. Commuters had to ride the habal-habal, wherein they hitch a ride at the back of motorbikes, to travel around. One way to the nearest stop costs P100 and a day’s rent of the motorbike costs P800. Or most would decide to walk kilometers of distances, including children to go to school.
Among DPWH’s high impact projects include the concreting of Junction Osmeña-Pilar road (P155.3 million), as well as the Junction Del Carmen-Sta. Monica-San Isidro road (P152.4 million) Dapa-Union-General Luna road (P137.4 million), Junction Cancohoy-Pilar road (46.4 million), and Socorro-Nueva Estrella-Pamosaingan road (P23 million).
For 2011, an additional 3.675 kilometers were paved by December. Using the agency’s 2011 stimulus fund, another eight kilometers of road were paved, Montil added.
Related stories:
Resort owners in Siargao Island still hoping for better roads and proper garbage collection
Siargao community continues age-old tradition of making ‘kopra’
Discover the saltwater pool of Magpupungko beach in Siargao Island
Siargao Island attracts local and foreign surfers all year-round
Cloud 101 Resort in Siargao Island promotes rain harvesting for sustainable water supply
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