The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is in talks with the World Bank to seek support for development projects in Sulu province amounting to about $50 million.
In a statement, Emil Sadain, DPWH undersecretary and Build, Build, Build chief implementer, said there were initial talks with World Bank officials for a financing investment on the rehabilitation/upgrading and asset preservation of the pavement condition to facilitate road accessibility improvements, and the measures to address the inadequate water supply in Sulu.
Sadain, DPWH Secretary Roger Mercado’s focal person for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao infrastructure projects, and Achim Fock, the Manila-based World Bank operations manager for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, visited Sulu last April 1 for better cooperation and coordination with the provincial government and appropriate offices in the planning and design of various proposed projects.
The baseline amount of $50 million will be provided to improve and preserve the 162 kilometer- Sulu Island circumferential road and to address the problem of lack of access to safe water through the provision of water supply and sanitation service.
At risk of becoming structurally deficient, about 40 percent or 64.8 km. of the Sulu circumferential road is proposed to undergo upgrading and rehabilitation, while asset preservation works on the remaining 60 percent or 97.2 km. will extend the lifespan of the road pavement.
The DPWH National-World Bank team, which held project discussions with Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan and Sulu mainland water district officials, also conducted on-the-ground field assessment of the operations of existing groundwater supply sources at Camp Asturias (Kiram Spring) pumping station in Barangay Asturias, Jolo and Gravity feed pumping station in Barangay Umangay, Patikul. – Myla Iglesias
