Marawi Road Rehabilitation Moves Forward

Pace of progress dramatically accelerated in just five (5) months since three (3) groups of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) contractors commenced the reconstruction/rehabilitation of 18.97-kilometer Marawi Transcentral Road Project-Stage 1 in Lanao Del Sur. 

The urgent rehabilitation of transcentral roads damaged by armed-conflict in Marawi City is part of the DPWH flagship infrastructure projects and Build, Build, Build agenda of the President Rodrigo Roa Duterte administration and DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar. 

In his report to DPWH Secretary Villar following his inspection, DPWH Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations and Technical Services Emil K. Sadain said that with the aggressive push of implementing office UPMO-Roads Management Cluster 1 (Bilateral) headed by Project Director Virgilio Castillo and Project Manager Francisco Sawali, construction activities of contractors are everywhere in every area of the P970 million road project financed by a grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Notable accomplishment are stretches of completed single and double lanes of 280 millimeters portland concrete cement pavement (PCCP) road, excavation and installation of rectangular line canal for managing water runoff, and laying and compaction of subgrade and subbase materials ready for PCCP pouring. 

Undersecretary Sadain was joined in the inspection by Project Director Castillo, Project Manager Sawali, retired General John Dominic Pulido from Office of Secretary Villar, Dr. Reynaldo Medina of Woodfields Consultants Inc., Marawi City rehabilitation action officer Assistant Director Honorato Saldua Jr., overall project coordinator Assistant Director Botoanun Baunto, Engineer Neijam Langa and Project Engineers Yacob Mambuay, Reyderick Siozon and Subhair Pasandalan.

In his meeting, Undersecretary Sadain lauded the amiable cooperation and commitment of  consultants, contractors, and DPWH assigned personnel as well as the fostering of effective partnership with stakeholders that if continuously sustain will eventually advance the completion of the project which is expected by middle of 2021.

However, Undersecretary Sadain also reminded them to maintain the work quality putting into consideration the present and  future traffic volumes, and provide adequate drainage that can carry the storm water as an important element in pavement performance. 

Stage 1 construction of Marawi Transcentral Road includes CP-1A with two (2) sections of Bacong-Iligan-Marawi Road, total length of 9.41 kilometers, and accomplishment to date of 13.81% by contractors Unimasters Conglomeration, Inc./M.M.A. Achiever Const. & Dev’t Corp./CDH Construction/Flying Seven Construction (JV); CP-1B with five (5) road sections of Bacong-Poona-Marantao-Marawi Road, GMA Terminal Access, Marawi-Cadre-New Capitol Road, Marcos Boulevard, and Idarus Road, total length of 5.45 kilometers, and accomplishment to date of 41% by contractors Al Hussein Const. / N.B. Sabo Const. (JV); and CP-2 with two (2) road sections of MSU-GMA Terminal Road and Lumidong-Amaipakpak Road, total length of 3.90 kilometers, and accomplishment to date of 16.82% by contractor Kouzbary Builders.

Given the urgency of the project in support to the government’s effort to rebuild conflict-affected  Marawi City, the urgent rehabilitation of road network will also pave the way for improved mobility of people and for better access to goods and services, added Undersecretary Sadain.