Larap road construction to resume

Adornado Balaoro points to the unfinished road that stopped near his house in Sparline. – MWBuzzpics by AP HERNANDEZ

Middle photo and above: Soon, these two roads in Larap will get the much-needed upgrade. - MWBuzzpics by AP HERNANDEZ

 

By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ

HERE’S the big news: The completion of the stalled Larap road will definitely happen.

“We will resume the road work soon,” Mambulao Mayor Ricarte “Dong” Padilla told MWBuzz.

He said the Department of Public Works (CamNorte) will start next month (May) the construction of the remaining 2km stretch from Sparline to the center of Larap.

DPW is about to deploy road-building equipment to the road project site at Sparline.

Padilla has secured a P20 million funding from the Department of Tourism (DOT) ast year under the entity’s tourism promotion program.

He said the money would also cover a portion of the road leading to the mothballed Larap airport.

The road to Sta Elena will follow, Padilla said.

The concreting of the Parang-Larap road stopped at Sparline sometime last year after funding was exhausted.

The project was supposed to resume last January after the Department of Budget and Management released the funds but was postponed due to administrative red tape.

Adornado Balaoro, a 37-year-old fisherman whose house stands right at the tip of the cemented road at Sparline told MWBuzz:

“Nahihirapan po kami sa kapal ng alikabok dito sa lugar namin.”

He said the locals hope to see the road’s completion soon, as promised.

The concreting of the road was supported by Mambulao natives based overseas through donations of cement and other materials.

The private sector also chipped in bags of cement.

Mambulaoans said the linking of Larap to the poblacion through a concreted road is “a dream come true”.

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