Concrete road at Pag-asa excites ex-residents

This strip of cement road gives a refreshing sight of the island community of Bunog.

A portion of a two-lane concrete road at Baranggay Pag-asa.

Road work in progress at Baranggay Pag-asa. - BigkisPagasaFacebookpics
 
 

By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ

 
THE former residents of Bunog Island now known as Pag-asa in Jose Panganiban, were in for a pleasant surprise about their childhood community.

Reason: They just saw on Facebook pictures of a strip of concrete road snaking deep into their former bushy community.

These former residents are now mostly residing or working overseas.

The strip of freshly poured concrete has stretched into the village from the main Larap road, which is also undergoing massive cementing job, courtesy of the local government of Jose Panganiban.

This portion of the concrete road in Baranggay Pag-asa is a project launched recently by the provincial government of CamNorte to upgrade road networks in the province's isolated baranggays.

On the other hand, the local government of Jose Panganiban has its own baranggay road cementing program across the municipality, which is now about to reach Pag-asa.

Earlier, Jose Panganiban Mayor Ricarte Padilla told Mambulaoans that the road concreting project of the JPLGU will soon reach Pag-asa.

Padilla said it is at a snail phase due to the slow coming of donated road building materials such as cement, coupled with the continuous rains in the area which are hampering the road work.

Based on Facebook postings by overseas and local Mambulaoans, the concrete road has apparently linked the small island of Bunog to the main island.

Padilla told MWBuzz sometime ago that an improved road network at Baranggay Pag-asa would boost the island baranggay’s tourism prospect.

Pag-asa is home to a modest beach area which is now undergoing development work that included replacing the present sand surface with white sand from Carol Island in the Mambulao Bay.

The Pag-asa beach has become popular among Mambulaoans of late who would come here during weekends.

Residents said travelers from Mambulao and elsewhere would soon experience a good, smooth drive to the beach.

One former Bunog resident, now overseas, said she would now be encouraged to come home next year for a vacation and a swim at the beach.

Posting on Facebook, the overseas residents have thanked the Mambulao government for doing its best to improve the road network in their community.

They said they hoped to see the completion of the road concreting before the year ends.

Email the blogger: ahernandez@thenational.com.pg and alfredophernandez@y7mail.com

The Pag-asa beach last April … a good road would entice more families to come to this place on weekends for a nice swim. – MWBuzzpic by A P HERNANDEZ