DBM distributes P2.1 billion to DAR for bridges construction

Department of Budget and Management / Wikipedia Photo

MANILA – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) gave more than P2.1 billion to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to finance the construction of universal bridges.

The funds, which came from the 2014 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways, will cover the services and bridging materials for the Tulay ng Pangulo para sa Kaunlarang Pang-Agraryo (TPKP) project.

The universal bridges will connect the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP)-covered areas, road networks, and agrarian reform communities nationwide under the Program Beneficiaries Development (PBD) support services delivery component of DAR.

“This release will jump-start the construction of these unibridges, so that we can link our farmers to commercial areas where they can sell their produce. The goal is to allow our farmers to become more active participants in the local economy, and ultimately, to expand the reach and development of the country’s agriculture industry,” said DBM Secretary Florencio Abad.

DAR will be the executing agency of the TPKP project, while DPWH is in-charge of building the pre-fabricated modular steel bridges from the Matiere SAS-Eiffel Consortium.

DAR has already endorsed 287 out of the 418 bridges, 15 of which are completed and one is still undergoing construction

Both DAR and DPWH agreed to replace Desamparados and Tultugan bridges near the Bohol circumferential road. But this is still under assessment.