BONTOC, Mountain Province — The Aquino administration will finish the P5.2-billion state-of-the-nation address (SoNA) projects of former President-turned-Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

This assurance was given last Wednesday by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson as he personally inspected the implementation of the rehabilitation of the various road projects in the Cordillera which had hit some snags.

 “We will make sure that the uncompleted road projects in the region will be done the soonest because they are already there. We will try to solve the problems that are delaying the works,” Singson told local media.

Supposedly, the rehabilitation of Phases 2 and 3 of the Baguio-Bontoc-Banaue road, popularly known as the Halsema Highway, and the Bontoc-Tabuk-Tuguegarao Road was to be completed last June 30.

However, unsettled road right-of-way problems within the said roadlines have greatly contributed in the continuous delay on the concreting and widening works since landowners are allegedly demanding excessive compensation.

Singson said tourism and economic development will surely trickle down in the far-flung areas of Mountain Province, Ifugao and Kalinga once the rehabilitation of the aforesaid roadlines will be completed within the next several months.

More importantly, the DPWH Secretary advised local public works officials to be transparent about the negotiations for the settlement of road right-of-way problems so that the affected landowners will realize that the government is really inclined to cause the improvement of the lives of the people in the countryside.

Based on an accomplishment report of the SoNA project management office have accomplished 99.87 percent; Bontoc to Banaue Section (Phase III) is 97 percent; and Bontoc to Tinglayan boundary (Section I) of the Bontoc-Tabuk-Tuguegarao Road is 75.26 percent.