President Aquino to inaugurate Ninoy Aquino
bridge in Cagayan next week
President Benigno S. Aquino III will inaugurate
on Monday a P600-million bridge connecting the provinces of Cagayan and Kalinga
and Apayao, which is expected to boost economic activity in the area.
In an interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on
Saturday, Secretary Manuel Mamba of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office
said the bridge will be named Ninoy Aquino Bridge.
It is composed of a 360-meter bridge across the
Chico River and also connected to two other bridges, the 40-meter Malumi
bridge, and the 20-meter Agham bridge, Mamba said.
The project also has a road component, which has
already been paved stretching about 22 kilometers, he added.
The project started in 2010 and was completed in
2013, according to Mamba.
The office of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile realigned
his P195 million budget so some portions were left incomplete.
Local officials sought the help of the
President, who partially funded the project releasing P145 million through the
Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
Aside from boosting the local economy and
addressing insurgency, Mamba said the Ninoy Aquino Bridge will also permanently
connect Cagayan with Kalinga and Apayao.
Even during heavy flooding, towns in these areas
will remain connected to other parts of Luzon, he said.
Among the towns in Kalinga and Apayao that are
expected to benefit from the project include Conner, Kabugao, Pinukpuk, Tuao,
Rizal, and Piat, Mamba said.
There is also an ongoing road network project
that will ultimately connect Solsona, Ilocos Norte with Conner and Kabugao, he
added. The government is currently completing more than eight kilometers of
road to connect the said areas.
"This will be a route connecting Cagayan to
Ilocos Norte through the provinces of Kalinga and Apayao, an inter-regional
link in the CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region), Region I, and Region
II," Mamba explained.
"Kaya grabeng pakinabang ang nakukuha ng
mga tao dito. At the same time, ina-anticipate ‘yung ekonomiya na talagang
lalakas," he added. PND (as)
President Aquino wants safety assessment of
Filipino peacekeepers in Liberia, Golan Heights
President Benigno S. Aquino III wants a detailed
assessment of how safe Filipino peacekeepers are in Liberia and Golan Heights
in the midst of security and health threats in those areas, a Palace official
said.
It was reported that the Department of National
Defense made a recommendation for the pullout of Filipino peacekeepers in Golan
Heights and Liberia because of increasing tensions in the Middle East and the
spread of Ebola virus in Africa.
"I had a chance to speak to the President
about this lately and ang sabi we’re still trying to see what are the available
protection for our soldiers who are there," Deputy presidential
spokesperson Abigail Valte said in an interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on
Saturday.
Valte said her impression is that the President
has not made a decision yet whether to bring home the peacekeepers or retain
them there.
But the Palace official said it is the
President's paramount concern to ensure the safety of Filipino soldiers
deployed overseas for peacekeeping missions.
Recently, a Filipino peacekeeper was injured
while performing his duties in the Golan Heights because of deteriorating
security conditions there.
In Africa, there are also concerns on the safety
of peacekeepers as the Ebola virus continues to ravage several African
countries such and Liberia and Sierra Leone, which already posted many
casualties.
"Ang tinatanong din ng Pangulo, syempre,
ayaw niyang malagay sa peligro ang ating mga sundalo. Maraming mga reported
cases and deaths related to Ebola sa Liberia," Valte said.
"Gustong malaman ng Pangulo what available
safeguards are in place."
The Department of Foreign Affairs is the one
coordinating with the United Nations when there are certain concerns on the
country's peacekeepers, she added. PND (as)
