DPWH Breaks Ground on Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project

A P997.5-million road project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that will connect the pacific coastal towns of Northern Samar formally broke ground on Thursday, May 31, 2018.

DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar and Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong-Man led the groundbreaking ceremony of Samar Pacific Coastal Road (SPCR) Project held at Barangay Simora, Palapag, Northern Samar, witnessed by DPWH Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, Philippine Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Bienvenido Tejano, Korean Export Import Bank Country Director Sungho Jang, Northern Samar Governor Jose L. Ong Jr. and Vice Governor Gary Lavin Jr., Northern Samar 2nd District Representative Edwin Ong, former Congressman Emil Ong, DPWH Region 8 Director Edgar Tabacon, and DPWH Unified Project Management Office-Roads Management Cluster II (UPMO-RMC II) Director Sharif Madsmo H. Hasim.

“This 11.6-kilometer road project from Junction Simora to Junction Palapag segment of Samar Pacific Coastal Road in the town of Palapag, Northern Samar will complete the circumferential road of Samar Island, benefiting motorists from the so-called “Pacific Coastal” towns heading to the provincial business center of the capital town of Catarman and vice versa,” said Secretary Villar.

In his briefing, Project Director Sharif Madsmo H. Hasim of DPWH Roads Management Cluster 2 (Multilateral) said that with the concreting of 11.6 kilometer road and improvement works on existing paved road of 7 kilometer, Catarman will be link via full land travel with the coastal municipalities of Northern Samar up to Taft, Eastern Samar without the need to pass through the island town of Laoang which needs to cross two (2) rivers with small boats along the way as the project allows access from Palapag Town Proper traversing inner barangays up to Barangay Simora.

The SPCR project also covers the construction of three bridges namely the 161-lineal meter Simora Bridge, 31-lineal meter Jangtud 1 Bridge, and the 69-lineal meter Jangtud 2 Bridge.

Funded by the Korean government, the Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project which is being implemented by UPMO-Roads Management Cluster II with Project Manager Teresita Bauzon as in-charge of the project in coordination with Northern Samar 2nd District Engineer Ferdinand Briones will be constructed until March 2020.

Its completion is seen to stimulate economic growth, improve peace and order, and reduce poverty in the pacific of Northern Samar as a result of improved transportation. (DPWH)