Butuan City – In an effort to continue to spur the economy and to eliminate the gaps that hinder the development in Mindanao, the implementation of some P19.772 billion worth of road and bridge projects in various provinces and cities in Southern Philippines went into high gear.

As this developed, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) ordered all its regional directors, including technical personnel and contractors of various mega projects in Mindanao, to redouble their ground activities to “hit the targeted timeline of completion.”

“Our ground officials and personnel and contractors are now closely supervised by the various regional and district engineering offices spread all over Mindanao,” said DPWH Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane, Jr. Speaking before the delegates of the Philippine Constructors Association, Inc. at the Davao Constructors Association Center at the Palos Verde Clubhouse in Davao City recently, Ebdane also said that the construction industry has been at the forefront of development efforts especially in times of crisis and when growth must be jump-started.

Roads, bridges and other infrastructures that enable development efforts to prosper will always have priority in any economy, he said.

Ebdane mentioned some of the nine mega projects that will give access to full economic development in Mindanao, like the Talaingod-Bukidnon-Davao Section, Butuan-Salog-Malaybalay (Bukidnon) Road and the Surigao-Davao Coastal Road.

He also announced the completion of some 29,369.7 kilometers of roads and 314,453 lineal meters of bridges across the 7,101 islands in the country.

The effort in targeting the “timeline” of these mega projects also helped the Labor department to continue employing community members for ongoing projects under the Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP) of the government.

Ebdane said that since last February, the DPWH has been able to generate more than 300,000 jobs in the infrastructure sector.

These jobs range from roadside maintenance workers to office personnel and you (referring to the Constructors Association) also has played a big role in this achievement, Ebdane said.

During the meeting, Ebdane has urged all sectors of the society to help “secure and care” all the infrastructures that rise in their respective localities.

The public works secretary also called on the delegates to join government’s advocacy for protecting roads and bridges.

“In our country, the roads are the bridge for the future that brings hope and opportunities. That is why our investments in these roads and bridges must be protected and safeguarded to maximize their usage,” said Ebdane.