The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has started the construction of Pantabangan-Canili road project in Nueva Ecija.

The project involves the construction of 31.3 kilometers of road, four new bridges, improvement of drainage system and slope protection works and repair of one bridge.

DPWH Secretary Victor Domingo said that this road improvement project aims to speed up travel time from Nueva Ecija to Nueva Vizcaya via Aurora from 3 hours to an hour and a half.

“Nueva Ecija is the gateway of agricultural industry in the Cagayan Valley Region, creating more alternative road links leading to its major agricultural communities will increase the potential of investment opportunities and improve the profit of the local farmers,” Domingo said.

DPWH Philippine-Japan highway loan project Dir. Maximo Carvajal said that this P579-million road project is now 34 percent complete, ahead of 18.5 percent compared to its scheduled accomplishment rating.