The vital Balilihan-Hanopol-Batuan (BHB) road which can accelerate the economy of the very central part of Bohol island is on the way to full concreting at an initial allocation of P146 million. Gov. Edgar Chatto led the project groundbreaking initiated by the local government of Batuan last week. Spearheading the rites were Mayor Gregoria Pepito, Vice Mayor Antonino Jumawid, local officials and public works officials of DPWH III. The vital Balilihan-Hanopol-Batuan (BHB) road which can accelerate the economy of the very central part of Bohol island is on the way to full concreting at an initial allocation of P146 million. Gov. Edgar Chatto led the project groundbreaking initiated by the local government of Batuan last week. The fund has been secured after no less than Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III took an aerial view of the over 26-kilometer road stretch when he flew to Trinidad town last year.

Together with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Sec. Singson aboard the presidential chopper, the governor briefed the president and convinced him of the importance of the major access project. The shortest distance to the central interior of the province, the BHB road links to tourist spots in Carmen and Bilar in the Third District and as far as Sagbayan in the Second District. It traverses rich farm and lush vegetation areas and connects to wider agricultural localities, thus, its improvement enhances the soil-based economy that is focused on food production. Being a major access crossing the core of hinterlands, the concreting of the road which is an impact project is critical to sustaining peace as another approach to prosperity. Chatto said P45 million of the allocation is for the concreting of the Hanopol-Balilihan side and another P45 million is for the Batuan part.

The remaining P56 million is for the bridge component of the road project, the main of it is the total replacement of the Macapico bailey bridge by a concrete jumbo bridge. In the area are the Macapico rapids, a potential eco-adventure tourism site, while the road is also the main access leading to the Hanopol hydropower system. DPWH people cited the nationalization of the BHB road as one enabling factor for the release of the huge national allocation for its long-dreamt concreting. They said it was Chatto himself while he was congressman of the First District who principally authored the law converting the then BHB provincial road into a national road. The project got an initial P20 million when Chatto was congressman. Still then in Congress, Chatto had also nationalized the Antequera-San Isidro-Tubigon provincial road and Panglao island circumferential road, including the Dauis riverside road that leads to a investment area that includes an emerging retirement village. Another advantage of road nationalization is the substantial amount that the province can save from the regular annual budget for provincial road maintenance. The saving is useful to many other basic services, said Chatto who, according to fellows in public service, has gone far more smarter in the art of governing.

The fund has been secured after no less than Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III took an aerial view of the over 26-kilometer road stretch when he flew to Trinidad town last year. Together with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Sec. Singson aboard the presidential chopper, the governor briefed the president and convinced him of the importance of the major access project. The shortest distance to the central interior of the province, the BHB road links to tourist spots in Carmen and Bilar in the Third District and as far as Sagbayan in the Second District. It traverses rich farm and lush vegetation areas and connects to wider agricultural localities, thus, its improvement enhances the soil-based economy that is focused on food production. Being a major access crossing the core of hinterlands, the concreting of the road which is an impact project is critical to sustaining peace as another approach to prosperity. Chatto said P45 million of the allocation is for the concreting of the Hanopol-Balilihan side and another P45 million is for the Batuan part.

The remaining P56 million is for the bridge component of the road project, the main of it is the total replacement of the Macapico bailey bridge by a concrete jumbo bridge. In the area are the Macapico rapids, a potential eco-adventure tourism site, while the road is also the main access leading to the Hanopol hydropower system. DPWH people cited the nationalization of the BHB road as one enabling factor for the release of the huge national allocation for its long-dreamt concreting. They said it was Chatto himself while he was congressman of the First District who principally authored the law converting the then BHB provincial road into a national road. The project got an initial P20 million when Chatto was congressman. Still then in Congress, Chatto had also nationalized the Antequera-San Isidro-Tubigon provincial road and Panglao island circumferential road, including the Dauis riverside road that leads to a investment area that includes an emerging retirement village. Another advantage of road nationalization is the substantial amount that the province can save from the regular annual budget for provincial road maintenance. The saving is useful to many other basic services, said Chatto. (Ven rebo Arigo)