Aklan map
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has turned over a steel bridge to the municipality of Ibajay in Aklan province which is seen to benefit 7,785 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and residents.
The P8.4-million bridge connects barangays Naisud, San Isidro, Bugtong Bato, and Colong-colong, according to the agency.
“This project is aligned with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to improve the lives of the farmers. The government is always behind you to support and provide you with the necessary services that you need,” DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III said in a statement Friday.
The infrastructure is a double-lane modular steel bridge that has a total length of 28.80 linear meters. It is made of “pre-fabricated materials imported from France,” Western Visayas Regional Director Atty. Sheila Enciso said.
The project was constructed in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways and was created under the Tulay ng Pangulo para sa Kaunlarang Pang-Agraryo (TPKP) program.
According to Barangay Naisud Kagawad Ronald Almodal, the old bridge can only carry light vehicles resulting in ARBs paying additional costs to transport their products.
“We are very thankful to the DAR, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the local government of Ibajay for this bridge. Our road is now passable to all kinds of 4-wheeled vehicles not only [to] transport our products to the nearby markets, but also in cases of emergencies,“ Almodal said. — MJ Soriano, trainee
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