OFFICIALS OF Mountain Province, expressing full support for the passage of the bill creating the Autonomous Region of the Cordillera (ARC), said autonomy would strengthen infrastructure development in the region given its distinctive terrain.
Provincial Administrator Amador P. Batay-an, in a statement released by the Regional Development Council, cited that standards set by the national government through the national line agencies’ central offices for national roads and school buildings are not suitable for the kind of topography the Cordillera has.
“The main reason why the province cannot or could hardly avail of certain assistance is that existing road systems cannot meet the width criteria set by some road programs or projects. In cases also of school buildings, the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) is having problems with lack of bidders as the projects’ costs are for infrastructures meant to be built in the lowlands and not for the kind of terrain Mountain Province has,” said Mr. Batay-an, who is also chair of the Provincial Taskforce on Autonomy and Federalism.
Under the proposed ARC, contained in House Bill 5343, the region would have more independence in terms of drafting guidelines and implementing policies on infrastructure development.
“We fervently wish that autonomy be established first in the Cordillera because whether we will be federated or not, as long as we have become the Autonomous Region of the Cordillera, it will still be very good for our region,” Mr. Batay-an said.
Provincial Administrator Amador P. Batay-an, in a statement released by the Regional Development Council, cited that standards set by the national government through the national line agencies’ central offices for national roads and school buildings are not suitable for the kind of topography the Cordillera has.
“The main reason why the province cannot or could hardly avail of certain assistance is that existing road systems cannot meet the width criteria set by some road programs or projects. In cases also of school buildings, the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) is having problems with lack of bidders as the projects’ costs are for infrastructures meant to be built in the lowlands and not for the kind of terrain Mountain Province has,” said Mr. Batay-an, who is also chair of the Provincial Taskforce on Autonomy and Federalism.
Under the proposed ARC, contained in House Bill 5343, the region would have more independence in terms of drafting guidelines and implementing policies on infrastructure development.
“We fervently wish that autonomy be established first in the Cordillera because whether we will be federated or not, as long as we have become the Autonomous Region of the Cordillera, it will still be very good for our region,” Mr. Batay-an said.
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