Thus, said Sto. Niño
Barangay Chairman Rodito Uy candidly said, speaking about the
scheduled visit of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on July 15, to
inaugurate the Sto. Niño Bridge.
There is a very good
reason for the people of Sto. Niño and the people of the
municipalities of Gandara and Matuguinao to be jubilant and excited
over the coming of President Arroyo, Chairman Uy disclosed.
“We have waited for
many long years for the bridge that will connect the two
municipalities to be completed,” Chairman Uy said. The project used to
be a provincial project but because of meager funds, its progress was
too slow.
Visiting Matuguinao
while campaigning for the 2004 elections, the President promised the
people of Samar to help complete the project.
President Arroyo, by
fulfilling her campaign promise brought back the trust of the people
in government, Chairman Uy said. She also kept the flame of hope to
continue burning in the hearts of our people, he added.
Chairman Uy
empathically said that the project has a very great impact on the
people. It connected the town of Gandara composed of 69 barangays to
the town of Matuguinao, with 20 barangays.
The Project will
benefit the farmers, the students and business entrepreneurs, Chairman
Uy said. The municipality of Gandara has about 34,000 population while
Matuguinao has 5,361.
It used to take the
people of Sto.
Niño
two hours by boat to reach the town of Matuguinao.
Today, it will take them only 40 minutes.
With the completion of
the Bridge, the farmers will have easier access to market their
products in Gandara, in Calbayog or in Catbalogan, Chairman Uy added.
The 72.195 meters
Bridge will not only spur economic activities in the area, but will
also increase literacy and more importantly improve the peace and
order situation in the area, Chairman Uy said further.
The Sto. Niño Bridge
was implemented by the Regional Project Monitoring Office of the
Department of Public Works and Highways within the Samar 1st District
Office, Calbayog City’s area of jurisdiction.
The Project had a
contract cost of P40.2 Million plus an additional amount of P14
Million was released to improve abutment “A” approach, making a total
project cost of P54.2 Million.
