SAN ANDRES, Quezon — The Quezon III district engineering office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is speeding up the concreting of the San Narciso-San Andres national highway which will be connected to President Arroyo’s Strong Republic Nautical Highways (SRNH), it was reported by District Engineer Rogelio P. Rejano.

Rejano said that this town, which is the remotest town in the Bondoc Peninsula, Quezon Province, is 12 hours away by ordinary pump boat from the port of Masbate City.

The road, when concreted, will spur development in the vast agricultural area of the Bondoco Peninsula, boost the peace and order, and speed up the delivery of marine products to Manila via the SRNH.

The roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) service is expected to benefit the people of the Bondoc Peninsula in terms of fast travel to Masbate and vice versa.

It was gathered that the San Andres port extension project will be completed soon by the Department of Transportation and Communications.

“The Burias Island can be seen at the San Andres port during the day as well as the tip of Mayon Volcano if the sky is clear,” he said.

Rejano said that the improvement of the 5.724-kilometer San Narciso-San Andres highway with portland cement concrete pavement (PCCP) has been completed, while concreting work on the 6.531-kilometer stretch of the highway is now going on.

He said that a total of 33 kilometers of road will be concreted with funds provided by President Arroyo through the effort of Rep. Danilo E. Suares. The project is being implemented in coordination of DPWH Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr. and DPWH Region IV-A Director Bonifacio O. Seguit.

“We are concreting little by little this gravel road and this will be done until the year 2010 when President Arroyo’s term is completed,” he said.

Once completed, he said, travel time to Manila via San Andres or from Masbate City would be cut by several hours. The nautical highway exits in Barangay Malicboy, Pagbilao, Quezon and passes through the provinces of Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, and part of the 4th district of Quezon.

Rejano said that the scope of construction work includes roadway excavation, structure excavation, embankment, sub-grade preparation, aggregate sub-base course, aggregate base course, PCCP, stone masonry, project sign board and tree planting.