The supposed P40-million budget allocated through the 2020 General Appropriations Act for the construction of a two-kilometer road in Dauis town expired and reverted to the national treasury as implementation of the project was hampered by right-of-way issues.
Dauis Mayor Miriam Sumaylo on Monday said one lot owner at the boundary of the villages of Bingag and Tangnan, which the road connects, refused to give way to the project despite negotiations made by the local government unit (LGU).
“Kahibaw ang mga lumulupyo diha na naay isa g’yud na wa mo hatag, naa sa Australia na siya gapuyo. Tanan na atong gibuhat, wa g’yud sila mo hatag,” said Sumaylo over station dyRD’s Inyong Alagad program on Thursday.
The contractor was not able to start the project due to the lack of documents for the right of way, she added.
The mayor noted that they continued to work on acquiring right of way and were set to take the issue to court but the fund allocation expired.
“Naga-process ta ana sa pagkakaron pero ang budget, pag-check sa office ni Congressman (Edgar) Chatto, wala na kay last year pa man to, sayang kaayo,” she said.
As stipulated in the Right of Way Act, the government may acquire real property needed for its national infrastructure projects through donation, negotiated sale, expropriation, or any other mode of acquisition as provided by law.
Sumaylo addressed the issue amid complaints from motorists against the dilapidated road.
A concerned citizen, in the same dyRD radio program, complained that the road has long been in a beat-up state which has caused nuisance to the riding public.
“Unsa naman ni amoang kalsada sa boundary sa Bingag-Tangnan, Marso naman ngano wa pa man ni gi-trabaho. Unsa man diay tong pagsukod-sukod diri sa kalsada kay ingon trabahuon na, paasa lang diay to,” he said.
According to Sumaylo, the Dauis LGU has coordinated with the Panglao LGU to raise funds for the repairs of the road which will be done by applying limestone.
This however would be temporary as downpours during the rainy season which starts in June would cause the limestone to erode, she added. (R. Tutas)