The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
President Aquino inaugurated last Monday the Baybay diversion road project, which aims to minimize traffic congestion in the city proper and reduce the travel time from Maasin City to the cities of Tacloban and Ormoc, Leyte.
Upon arrival, Aquino unveiled the marker of the diversion road and rode an open type pick up jeep and led the inaugural drive through the Pagbanganan Bridge.
The project, which cost P374.63 million, involves the construction and concreting of a 5-kilometer two-lane road, construction of the 151.5-km Pagbanganan Bridge that crosses the river of Pagbanganan; and paving of shoulders and slope-protection works, which were implemented in four phases.
The road will serve as a fundamental component to the Baybay City road network. It starts from the junction of Ormoc-Baybay-Southern Leyte boundary road in Barangay Candadam and ends at the junction Ormoc-Baybay-Southern Leyte boundary road in Barangay Hipusngo.
With the road, travel time between Maasin and Tacloban will be reduced from 3.5 hours to 3 hours. Likewise, travel time between Maasin to Ormoc will be cut from 2 hours to 1.5 hours.
Said project is expected to benefit more or less 600 motorists a day.
After the inauguration, the President attended a short program at the full-packed Baybay City gymnasium where beneficiaries of the project expressed their testimonials to the President.
Together with the chief executive was DILG Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, among others.