Bad roads hold back growth of Siruma

NOT NOW. A man in Barangay Poblacion in Siruma, Camarines Sur, tries to fix the broken engine of his boat before negotiating an inlet of San Miguel Bay fringed by a fine-sand beach. – JONAS CABILES SOLTES

THE deplorable road condition has kept Siruma poor and isolated despite its strategic location and abundant natural resources.

The fourth-class town (annual income: P20 to 30 million) of 17,000 people lies where the waters of the Pacific Ocean and San Miguel Bay merge, one of the richest fishing grounds in this province.

Located in the northernmost point of Camarines Sur, about 80 kilometers northeast of Naga City, the town boasts white sand beaches that could rival the world-famous beaches of Caramoan, also in the province.

It also has a fine natural harbor located in Barangay Tandoc that could accommodate large sea vessels.

Despite these advantages, the town languishes in poverty and virtual isolation from the rest of the province especially during inclement weather.

With the new municipal administration, little has changed. The road is still in a state of disrepair.

“The provincial government has provided us with all the assistance it can give, including infrastructure projects and use of heavy equipment,” says Mayor Sandy Ondis.

But he says Siruma needs the support of the national government. “It should provide enough funds for the rehabilitation and paving of the road at the soonest possible time.”

The poor road condition has caused so much poverty to their town, he says.

Impassable road

He is referring to the Tinambac-Siruma Road, which connects his town to the neighboring but more affluent Tinambac town.

SIRUMA, Camarines Sur, is just 80 kilometers away from Naga City, but it takes passenger jeepneys more than eight hours to reach the town. Motorcycles for rent are the alternative transport vehicles for Siruma residents wanting to go to the nearby municipality of Tinambac. JAN REV DAVILA/CONTRIBUTOR

The 40-km road of gullies and potholes traverses the villages of Poblacion, Nalayahan, La Purisima and Fundado in Siruma, and San Vicente, Magsaysay (Camp 4), La Medalla (Mile-9), Sagrada (Camp 6), San Ramon (Camp 7), San Roque, Salvacion, Camagong and Binalay in Tinambac.

Siruma’s former vice mayor, Herson Martirez, once said that road would resemble an array of rice paddies during the rainy season.

“Some portions become very muddy and (covered with silt),” Martirez said.

Ondis’ predecessor, Nonito Vier, also had blamed Siruma’s plight to the terrible condition of the town’s only access road to its neighbors.

“During the rainy season, the Tinambac-Siruma Road becomes impassable. The only other way to reach our town is by motorboat plying the San Miguel Bay. So when the road becomes impassable and the sea is rough, we become isolated,” said Vier.

In March 2009, the Department of Public Works and Highways earmarked P20 million for the maintenance and repair of the Tinambac-Siruma Road but it could not be fully implemented because of continuous rains.

With delay in the rehabilitation of the arterial road, the municipal government has another plan on how to alleviate the situation of the town.

Tourism

Siruma will turn to tourism.

Residents agree that tourism will do what the Tinambac-Siruma Road has not done to their town.

“Our place has so much potential. This has been hampered by the lack of good roads,” says Elena Bonete, 37.

Bonete’s family owns 6.9 hectares of land along the kilometer stretch of white sand beach in Barangay Poblacion. “My brothers and sister seem to have lost interest in this property, because they have been discouraged by the slow progress of our town.”

Bonete says she is planning to lease the property to investors who might want to develop the beach front land into a resort.

“I am planning to market this place by posting photos of our  ‘paradise’ on Facebook. My daughter is starting a fan page.”

She says she is inspired by the success of Caramoan and the Camarines Sur Watersports Complex, which attained international recognition partly through the Internet.

Seaside villas

A BOY enjoys playing on a tree that overlooks the Amuris beach in Siruma town proper. CRISTINA LAUREEN SOLTES/CONTRIBUTOR

The municipal government has started constructing villas in the government land beside Amuris Beach, with the hope that the beach would lure tourists, spark up tourism and boost the town’s failing economy.

“Our town needs all the help it can get,” says Francisco Angeles, chair of Barangay Sulpa, a poor coastal village beside the San Miguel Bay. “But we could not rely too much on our municipal government. How can it help us when it also needs help?” says Angeles.

The municipal government believes that the town’s fame as a tourist destination, once established, will convince the national government to invest on the Tinambac-Siruma Road.

It hopes that a tourism boom, most importantly, will provide jobs to the people of Siruma.

“We need good roads. Our people need jobs. If these won’t be provided, the poor people in our town will get poorer,” says Angeles.

Ondis says that cooperation among those who are ready and willing to help is needed for Siruma to prosper.

On Tuesday, the third engineering district of Camarines Sur has confirmed that Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson has pledged to allocate P80 million for the concreting of the “critical portions” of Tinambac-Siruma Road.

Assistant District Engineer Gemma Timbang said the concreting could be started before the end of this year.

“We are still preparing the program of works. The P80-million budget would be used to pave approximately 6-km non-contiguous portions of the road,” Timbang told the Inquirer.