More than 50% completed of President Corazon Aquino Boulevard in Camarines Norte

A portion of President Corazon Aquino Boulevard in Camarines Norte (Wikimapia)

MANILA — The longest boulevard in the country measuring 8.7 kilometers and named after former President Corazon Aquino is now over 50 percent completed, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Monday.

The boulevard covers the towns of Daet, Mercedes to Talisay in Camarines Norte is underdoing improvement and construction involving five contracts which is guaranteed to support the ecotourism industry in Bicol Region.

“We are currently implementing the construction and improvement of newly converted national road, the President Cory Aquino Boulevard, which will serve as an access road to various tourism destinations in the province of Camarines Norte,” said DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson in a statement.

At present, the department has accomplished 58% of the programmed projects, completing 5.017 kilometers out of the 8.657 kilometers Pres. Cory Aquino Blvd with the remaining sections proposed for future funding in the amount of Php265 million to include the construction of two (2) bridges.

The projects include the rehabilitation/improvement/construction of San Jose Section in the municipality of Talisay, the Bagasbas Section in Daet, the Mercedes-Bagasbas Road.

Upon completion, the road would further lead local and international visitors to: Calaguas Island in the town of Vinzons, the number one beach destination in Camarines Norte; Bagasbas Beach in Daet, the province’s surfing and kite spot; and to the town of Mercedes, dubbed as the “Fish Bowl Capital” of Bicol.

The boulevard covers the area declared as a tourism destination by the Department of Tourism (DOT), as it is situated along the fine shores of Bagasbas Beach with a wide boardwalk cast from red semi adobe bricks intended for tourists view deck.

Singson reported that the construction and improvement of Pres. Cory Aquino Blvd. is under the DOT-DPWH Convergence Program for Enhancing Tourism Access, which aims to establish mutual cooperation to jointly undertake the identification, evaluation, prioritization and implementation of tourism infrastructures in declared tourism destinations.