Villar says of CDO: You’re close to my heart; infra projects will be completed

Cagayan de Oro Coastal Road Project Phase II. Contributed photo

MANILA, Philippines — Former Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said Cagayan de Oro is close to his heart, which is why he made sure that the major infrastructure projects in the province would be completed.

Under the Build, Build, Build Program, Cagayan de Oro now houses the CDO Coastal Road and CDO Civic Convention Center, two of the most controversial projects that have been intermittently constructed.

“Malapit po sa puso ko ang Cagayan de Oro, kaya po patuloy po kaming naka suporta at nananatiling tapat sa aming pangako na mapaginhawa ang buhay ng ating mga kababayan sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatupad ng mga infrastructure projects”, Villar said in a statement.

The CDO Coastal Road is implemented in two phases–Phase I of the project started back in 2010, but encountered a long overdue Road-Right-of-Way issue that finally came to a settlement in 2017. Thus, it was partially opened to traffic in the said year.

With the initiative of the current administration’s Build Build Build Program, CDO Coastal Road Phase I, Gusa-Igpit section, a 4-Lane concrete pavement highway has now reached 99.06% of the road’s completion.

Moreover, the continuation of Cagayan de Oro Coastal Road Project Phase II from Barangay Puerto to Gusa section is now progressing up to 44.14% as of December 2021.

Cagayan de Oro City Convention Center. Contributed photo

Another notable project is the Cagayan de Oro City Convention Center’s main building, which aimed to support big events like sports, concerts, conventions, exhibits, seminars, conferences, and trade shows.

The building is designed to accommodate 7,700 people.

“After several years in the making, accompanied with left and right controversies upon its suspension from the year 2012 to 2016, the CDO Convention Center’s main building is finally completed,” Villar said.

Aside from the CDO Coastal Road and CDO Civic Convention Center, various road and bridge projects were also implemented in Cagayan de Oro.

Some of these projects include the CDO-New Western Diversion Road and the Iligan-CDO Connector.

CDO-New Western Diversion Road, a 5.34-kilometer proposed road project that stretches from Canito-an towards CDO Coastal Road in Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City, is seen to reduce travel time from 16 minutes to only 8 minutes.

Iligan-CDO Connector, on the other hand, is a 50.57 km road that will provide an alternate route to the two highly urbanized cities in Region X—Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro City.

“We will ensure that Northern Mindanao especially in CDO will have its fair share under the government’s Build, Build, Build initiative,” Villar said.

RELATED STORY:

Crucial infra projects to spur inclusive growth in northern Mindanao

JPV