The national government has included the Samar Pacific
Coastal Road 2 (SPCR 2) Project in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for
2026, with an initial funding allocation of 1 billion pesos, the office of
Second District Congressman Edwin Ongchuan revealed.
The NEP provides the details of spending for each department
or agency by program, activity or project (PAP) , and submitted to Congress in
the form of a proposed General Appropriations Act.
The SPCR 2, a big-ticket project which requires huge
funding, aims to construct vital bridges that will enhance connectivity between
the Pacific towns, Laoang, and the broader Samar Island. It specifically includes the construction of
2 significant bridges: 800-meter Laoang
Bridge 2 which will connect Talisay village to Poblacion Laoang (Talisay-Laoang
Bridge) and 605-meter Laoang Bridge 3 linking Calomotan to the Pangpang villages
in Palapag (Calomotan-Pangpang Bridge).
Governor Harris Ongchuan, who continuously lobbied for the
project in the 19th Congress along with then Governor Edwin, expressed
appreciation to Congressman Ongchuan and the national administration for the
strong support to this initiative which he sees to not only increase
connectivity but also significantly enhance local economic activity and promote
peace in the region. When completed,
travel time from Laoang to Palapag and vice versa will significantly decrease
from 1 hour to just about 19 minutes.
On October 7, 2024, the Government of the Philippines has
formalized the loan agreement with the Export-Import Bank of Korea for the
funding of the SPCR 2 project, amounting to USD 111.43 million (approximately
PHP 6.34 billion).
At the local government’s request, President Marcos approved
the inclusion of the SPCR 2 project in the NEP during the 7th National Economic
and Development Authority (NEDA) Board Meeting held at Malacañang on July 19,
2024.
The project, pushed for many years now, originating from the
late Congressman Emil L. Ong, received endorsement from the Regional
Development Council (RDC) in June 2021 and was subsequently presented to the
national government in September 2021.
A big boost to Northern Samar, the Provincial Government
looks forward to finally seeing the project become a reality in the coming
years.
For more news and updates, visit:
►http://northernsamar.gov.ph
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