The influx of people into urban areas that resulted to overpopulation in Metro Manila ought to be less of a dilemma with President Arroyo’s massive infrastructure projects in the countryside.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said the construction of multi-billion roads and bridges when completed, will help reverse the in-migration of people in the region.

“Once these projects are completed, magbabalikan ang mga nagpunta sa Maynila kasi madi-develop na ‘yung mga potential tourism area…at pati production activities,” Ebdane said in a recent inspection of DPWH in the Eastern Visayas Region.

In Metro Manila, an average of 18,650 persons now occupy a square kilometer of land in the metropolis. It is said to be the most congested region in the country in terms of population size.

Records from National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) showed that Manila has the biggest population of 11 million which is 72 times more than the population density of 260 persons per square kilometer in the whole country.

At present, DPWH is rehabilitating the stretch of the national highway from Allen in Northern Samar to Calbayog City while the Las Navas Bridge project was completed last June.

“With progress coming in, people here will have second thoughts about going to urban centers like Metro Manila to find jobs and business opportunities,” DPWH-Region 8 Director Angelito Twaño said.

The Las Navas Bridge project was a component of the Help for Catubig Agricultural Advancement Project in Eastern Visayas, which is included in President Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).

“After we have completed the bridge project, four wheeled vehicles can now enter the streets in the town proper, and two major bus companies are now also making trips going to Manila through the RoRo Nautical Highway, " DPWH Undersecretary Rafael Yabut said.

Other projects of the DPWH in the countryside also include the P1.4-B rehabilitation of 75 kilometers of dilapidated roads in Eastern Samar; the P600-M rehabilitation of the Wright-Taft-Borongan road; and the P272 million for the Taft-Oras-San Policarpio road; among others.

Ebdane said they are racing against time to complete the projects by yearend as instructed by President Arroyo despite the bad weather. He asked DPWH men “to go double time on the work, should good weather prevail, by working three shifts a day, seven days a week.”