Congress oks Panglao road nationalization

SENATE committee on public works approved this week on second reading the nationalization of the Panglao Circumferential Road (PICR), a major road highway considered as an integral component to Bohol 's tourism development. House tourism committee chair Rep. Edgar M. Chatto, author of the road conversion bill shared this after vigorously lobbying for its passage.

Chatto, Congressional committee on public works and highways member said the Panglao bill was a bit lucky for being selected among the 6 out of the 300 bills sent to the Senate body for review. The bill, when signed into a law will entitle the PICR to a five percent allocation from the total road maintenance fund from the 2006 General Appropriations Act and future yearly allocations. Likewise, it can now qualify in the Overseas Development Assistance funded projects under the proposed Bohol Circumferential Road Project Phase III. The Senator Revilla committee, in approving the 6 bills considered its economic, cultural and social impact on the community and its residents. Chatto also added that the said roads have complied and qualified with the requirements and standards set by the Department of Public Woks and Highways. Chatto bared his gratitude to the senator for its approval.

The solon, in the same talk, lobbied to Revilla to consider the other seven local bills pending before his committee. This include Sandingan Island Circumferential Road, Balilihan-Hanopol-Batuan provincial road, Sikatuna-Alburquerque provincial road, Calape-Panggangan provincial road, Antequera-San Isidro-Libertad provincial road, Sto. Niño provincial road and the Cogon Norte-Badbad Oriental-Occidental road. The said roads, although initially found lacking some requirements have now specific position papers for each road section and have also been evaluated and justified by the local first district DPWH engineering office. Nationalization of roads, Chatto said, will be great help to the provincial government as limited maintenance funds can now be used for other provincial road sections.