ILOILO CITY (PNA) — The construction of infrastructure projects in Western Visayas funded by the P6.907 billion annual fund of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 6 has gone full swing and will be due for completion by first quarter of 2011.

DPWH Regional Director Rolando Asis said the agency has awarded the projects to winning bidders before the election ban took effect in line with the coming May 10 polls.

Negros Occidental province was apportioned P1.989 billion while Panay and Guimaras provinces were allotted P4.918 billion.

For Panay and Guimaras, the provinces of Antique and Iloilo each has a share of P1.3 billion; Aklan has P176 million; Capiz, P411 million and Iloilo City, P735 million.

The biggest project for Panay is the P1.68 billion construction of the Panay Circumferential Road covering areas which starts from Iloilo City to Pandan, Libertad in Antique province; Buruanga, Malay, Nabas, and Kalibo in Aklan; Roxas City, Panay, and Pontevedra in Capiz province; Estancia in Iloilo province and back to Iloilo City.

Other projects are the P59-million Iloilo Circumferential Road passing through Villa in Iloilo City and going towards Pavia and Brgy. Bitoon in Jaro, Iloilo City.

Asis said the Iloilo Circumferential Road project will connect to the Metro Iloilo Radial Road which covers Zarraga town and going towards Brgy. Tacas, in Jaro within Iloilo City, which also received additional funding of P300 million.

Some P107 million was also allotted for national secondary roads; P718 million for various flood control projects excluding the Iloilo City Flood Control Project (IFCP); P407 million for lateral roads, and P500 million for some 1,000 water system projects.

Asis added that the P165 million fund for Guimaras will be spent for the 110-kilometer circumferential road that will include the improvement of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) towards Sibunag wharf in Sibunag town in the island province.

In Negros Occidental, some P600 million was alloted for the construction of the P600 million Bacolod South Road covering Bacolod City all the way to Hinobaan municipality, even as the Bacolod North Road from Bacolod City to San Carlos City was allocated P500 million.

Asis added that these projects are being implemented to spur development in rural and urban areas through the infrastructure development.