The Australian Government pours in the biggest financial aid for Bohol with its P275 million emergency response project implemented through the Provincial Road Management Facility (PRMF) for the repair and rehabilitation of earthquake-affected provincial roads. A Special Bids and Awards Committee headed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government has declared the 14 prioritized road sections, which total road length is at 124.614 kms, for emergency procurement in early March. As early as November, the Provincial Engineer's Office had begun generating technical data required for the procurement. This week, a thirty man team from the PEO underwent a coaching and mentoring workshop from the engineering design experts from PRMF led by Physical Works Manager Graham Jones.

OIC Engr. Gabino Redulla and three project management division heads, along with planning and programming and materials quality control division finalized simplified engineering road designs of the first batch of six roads under the emergency response project. Technical documents were completed for the six road sections of Catigbian-Balilihan via Alegria-Baang-Jagbuaya-Hanopol; Tubigon-San Isidro via Cahayag-Cabanugan; Inabanga-Sagbayan via Lapacan-Magtangtang; Inabanga Poblacion-Lawis; Loay-Loboc-Sikatuna via Hinawanan-Concepcion-Jct. (Loboc – Sikatuna); and Sikatuna-Sevilla via Camboac. Gov. Edgar M. Chatto, who came on the second day of the weeklong workshop, extended his gratitude in behalf of the people of Bohol to the Australian Government through PRMF's Jones and Bohol Provincial Coordinator Rosalinda Paredes for its valuable contribution to Bohol's rehabilitation plan.

The PRMF supported by the Australian Government has sealed a stronger partnership with the province through the new batch of road projects, the Australian Government having been a consistent and one of the biggest international partners of the province, Chatto said. A partnership between Australia and the Philippines, the PRMF seeks to use road maintenance funding to encourage 10 provinces in Southern Philippines to improve public administration systems associated with road sector planning and management.  PRMF works with provincial governments like Bohol to improve and maintain a core network of provincial roads that will help increase local economic activity.  Eight more road sections comprise the emergency response project which include Catigbian-San Isidro via Kagawasan-Rizal; Dimiao-Oac-Bilar; Antequera-Balilihan via Dorol; Loon Tajang-Sandingan; Calape-Pangangan; Maribojoc-Abatan-Agahay-Busao-Toril-Aghao; Tubigon-San Isidro via Candumayao-Cabanugan; and Loboc (Quinoguitan) Sevilla-Balilihan via Hanopol. (Leah Sumampong)