Boracay road widening to be completed in 1 month: DPWH

FILE: BORACAY ROAD REHAB. File photo shows Public Works Secretary Mark Villar (4th from left) with Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu (wearing a black jacket) inspecting road rehabilitation on Boracay Island last September. (PNA Photo)

MANILA — Despite facing numerous challenges, the widening of roads on Boracay Island is almost 80 percent done, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar said Saturday.

“Karamihan ng mga worksites, tapos na halos 80 percent, lalo na ‘yong sa ilalim, ‘yong pag-install ng mga drainage (Most of the worksites are almost 80 percent complete, particularly the installation of drainage pipes),” Villar said.

“Ang tatapusin na lang namin ay concreting ng road. Baka in one month, more or less, tapos na ang work sa road (All we need to finish is the concreting of roads. Maybe in one month, more or less, the road works would be completed),” he added.

In an interview, Villar said that during the first phase of the island’s rehabilitation, the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force had to demolish structures that encroached on the right of way and move concessionaires to other locations.

“Napaka-challenging dahil noong pumasok ang task force, may structures pa sa road and ‘yong mga structures ay nag-encroach na sa main road. Kaya ang dating right of way na around 12 meters, nagiging 4 to 5 nalang (It was very challenging because when the task force began work, there were structures on the road. They encroached on the main road, that is why the right of way of about 12 meters was reduced to about 4 to 5 meters),” he said.

In early 2018, President Rodrigo castigated the “cesspool” state of the island due to its poor sewage system. Boracay reopened to tourists on Friday, after a six-month rehabilitation program.