NEWSFLASH

NEW NAGUILIAN BRIDGE TO BOOST ISABELA ECONOMY

Naguilian, Isabela, Feb. 22, 2000 President Estrada expressed confidence Monday that Cagayan Valley would fulfill its potential as an economic growth center with the inauguration of the new Naguilian Bridge.

The President led the inauguration rites for the bridge, which was built with financial assistance from the Japanese government.

"Dahil sa inyong bagong tulay, inaasahan kong hindi lamang mas magiging magaan ang inyong paglalakbay kundi bibilis din ang paglago ng ekonomiya dito sa inyong lugar. Ang tulay na ganito ay mahalaga para mas madaling madala ang mga ani at produkto ng kanayunan sa pamilihan (With this new bridge, I expect travel to be faster and the economy to grow. This will facilitate the transport of people and goods from the provinces to the markets)," he said.

He added that the completion of the bridge improves the flow of goods and services not only in Isabela but also in Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya and the rest of the region.

The President said the bridge, along with the continuous repair of the Pan-Philippine highway, shows how much can be done with the cooperation of the Philippines and Japan.

The new bridge is expected to accelerate local agricultural growth, promote development of industrial and commercial areas, and boost tourism in northern Luzon.

The old Naguilian Bridge was a steel truss that deteriorated because of age. It served as a vital crossing point along the Philippines-Japan Friendship Highway, a trunk road for heavy cargo trucks that linked Manila to Cagayan Valley.

Naguilian Bridge was one of two projects in the third phase of the program for Rehabilitation and Maintenance of Bridges along Arterial Roads.

Located at Bgy. Palatiao in Naguilian, it spans Cagayan River and has a length of 687.8 meters.

The other project, San Pablo Bridge, was completed in Bgy. Calamagui in San Pablo town. It was inaugurated and opened to vehicular traffic in July 1999.

With the Japanese government’s help through programs like the 23rd Yen Loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, more projects are on the way, such as: the restoration of the Dalton Pass Section and the Pangawan Aritao Road; the Santiago City-Dinadiawan Road in Isabela and Quirino; a section of the Jones-San Agustin Road; and the Dupax del Norte-Natipunan Road in Nueva Vizcaya.

Under the Rural Road Network Development Project assisted by the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shall improve the Solano-Quezon Road in Quirino and the Dupax del Norte-Aritao Road in Nueva Vizcaya.

With the help of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the DPWH will also undertake the asphalt overlay of the Osmeña Maddela-Nagtipunan Road in Quirino and the Gamu-Roxas Road in Isabela.

"Natitiyak ko na malaki ang pakinabang na maidudulot ng mga proyektong ito upang mas mapabilis ang kaunlaran at kasaganaan dito sa inyong lugar. Sa pamamagitan ng mga bago at maayos na kalsada at tulay na tulad nito, higit na madarama ninyo ang mga benepisyong dulot ng paglago ng ating ekonomiya (I can assure you that you will benefit from these projects because these will speed up growth in your area. With new and sturdy infrastructure projects, you will soon experience the benefits of economic growth)," the President said.

Japanese Ambassador Yoshihisa Ara, who was among the guests in the inauguration of the bridge, also affirmed Japan’s commitment to help rehabilitate and maintain bridges and arterial roads in the Philippines.