IMAGE OF THE DAY

Saudi-Philippines Loan Agreement signing. The agreement for the 75 million Saudi Riyals Loan Package for the Basilan Circumferential and Lanao Circumferential Roads, Cotabato Diversion Road, and Mindanao Roads Improvement Project was signed by YOUSEF I. AL-BASSAM, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Saudi Fund for Development and Bahnarim A. Guinomla, Ambassador of the Philippines to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The signing of agreement was witnessed by (standing from right) Project Manager Abdulfatak A. Pandapatan of DPWH, Atty. Ombra B. Benaning of DPWH, Congressman Hussin Amin of Sulu, Undersecretary Bashir D. Rasuman of DPWH, Congressman Abdullah D. Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte, Assistant Secretary Norberto R. Basilio of DFA (not shown in the photo) Undersecretary Guiling Mamondiong of DOTC, Administrator Vicente Suazo, Jr. of Marina and Mr. Carmelino J. C. Tizon of DPWH.

DPWH inspects Saudi funded Basilan circumferential road project

text HADER GLANG

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has inspected the unpaved sections of the Basilan Circumferential Road (BCR) that will be improved through the US20 million (SR75 million) loan from the Saudi Fund for Development (SDF).

Sharif Madsmo Hasim, DPWH IX assistant regional director for maintenance operations, said a team from the DPWH’s Project Management Office (PMO) in Manila arrived in the region last week and conducted an ocular inspection of BCR.

Hasim, who is also the district engineer of Basilan, said the PMO team headed by Engineer Jake Mambuhay went around the towns of Tipo-Tipo, Sumisip and Maluso to check on the 54.6 km unpaved sections of BCR road.

“This (ocular inspection) only shows that the improvement of BCR will really push through. Insha-Allah (in God’s will) the implementation of the project will be done soon to facilitate infrastructure and economic development in Basilan,” he said.

Hasim said he expects the road project will start in the first quarter of 2008 after the PMO team completed its surveys, detail engineering, plan/program preparations and bidding process. “We estimated a P1 billion budget to complete the unpaved section.”

Basilan is one of the recipients of the US20 million initial aid of the Saudi Government to the Philippine Government for peace and development of Mindanao, home to more than 5 Muslims. Other recipients are Lanao and Cotabato.

The initial aid will be sourced from the US100 million pledge of the Kingdom of Saudi under its SDF that will finance other infrastructure projects and development of agriculture, fisheries, maritime transport, shipbuilding and ports in Mindanao. (ZS)