DAPITAN CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has virtually completed the construction/rehabilitation/improvement of the national coastal road linking this city and Barangay Taguilon – where the world renowned Dakak Park and Beach Resort is located – it was learned here on Thursday.

DPWH third engineering district Chief Engr. Elnora P. Gongob based in this city said the road project, which started late last year, received an allocation of P361 million from President Arroyo’s Social Contingency Fund through representations made by Rep. Cecilia-Jalosjos-Carreon (lst District, Zamboanga del Norte) with Malacañang.

Gongob explained through Engineer Halilola Malon that the initial road works involved the improvement and rehabilitation of the 14-kilometer stretch between this city – which was converted into the “National Shrine City of the Philippines” in 1973 – specifically in Barangay Talisay where Dr. Jose Rizal stayed during his two-year exile in the then coastal village – and Sitio Dakak in Barangay Taguilon.

The Talisay-Dakak road was originally classified as a barangay road but this was later upgraded into a national road owing to its significance to the growth and progress of the Shrine City and Dakak Park where the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) opened a Casino early this year.

According to Malon, the Dapitan-Dakak roadwork was divided into several phases with the DPWH third engineering district assigned to handle five phases while the three phases were given to the DPWH Region 9 office.

Christopher Ebal said the first phase was allocated a P30 million budget, second phase – P20 mllion; .third phase – P65 million, fourth phase – P56 million, and fifth phase with P58 million.

According to Ebal, the entire rehabilitation and construction works completed by the DPWH regional office received a total budget of P130 million broken down to P50 million for Phase I; P60 million for Phase 2; and, P30 million for Phase 3.

Ebal said the Dapitan City-Dakak (Taguilon) concrete road has a standard national highway width of 6.7 meters and three-meter wide shoulders or 1.5 meters on each side.

He said that from Taguilon, the coastal road construction/rehabilitation will ultimately be connected to the adjacent municipality of Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte with a total length of 75 kilometers.