DAVAO CITY—For years, the people of Wao in Lanao del Sur had to endure eight hours of travel to go to other areas of the province, including the capital, Marawi City.
It was about the same time spent by anyone from Lanao del Sur when they visit Wao, which, ironically, is only 55 kilometers from Marawi City.
The main reason for the need to travel all 480 kilometers across several provinces to reach either side was the absence of a road that directly linked Wao to the mother province. This earned Wao the informal title of “isolated town,” according to Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr.
He said past leaders of the province had repeatedly tried to build a road that would link Wao, an agricultural town of over 45,000, to the mother province but strong objections from “conservative sectors” had hindered it.
In 2011, Mamintal Sr., who was then Lanao del Sur representative, secured a
P485-million fund from the national government for the concreting of the 53-km Wao-Bumbaran-Maguing-Mulondo Road.
The road network, dubbed “dream road,” is now nearing completion, with only about
12 km yet to be concreted, according to Mamintal Jr.
Even if the concreting has yet to be completed, the road is now being used, he said.
“This ended long hours of travel through Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental and Lanao del Norte, passing by the cities of Valencia, Malaybalay, Cagayan de Oro and Iligan,” the younger Adiong added.
He said these days, travel between Wao and the mother province takes only up to three hours.
The 41-km Maguing-Molundo-Bumbaran span of the new artery has been paved, while workers are rushing the concreting of the remaining 12-km Bumbaran-Wao portion for completion early next year, said Mamintal Jr. Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao