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By: Engr. Mark P. Mauyag, MPA
Malabang, Lanao del Sur, Philippines (January 22, 2008) - While every concerned Filipino would call it unfair, as if we have no good records to show with the ventured cancellation by the World Bank of RP loan for Road Projects, there is one foreign-funded Project in Mindanao that may serve as face-saving sort of……and proving the critics wrong. Yes, of all places, it is located in nature-gifted Mindanao & partly ARMM at such. For one, government projects nowadays are rarely completed on time, but in contrast, this project’s one Package B (out of 4) is even completed ahead of schedule. Thanks to the Kuwaiti government and the KFAED Road Projects. Now, one would ask… Just what is KFAED? What are its impact and implications in the community and possibly on Philippine Road projects in general?
INTRODUCTION.
Part of the Mindanao 2nd Roads Improvement Project (MISRIP), the soft, low- interest rate loan from a brotherly Arab Nation, likely in contrast from other world lending institutions loans including the World Bank that imposed sky-high interest & conditions detrimental to the ailing economy, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) Loan was invisioned and signed more than a decade ago, though overshadowed by the tensions of the Desert Storm & only seen its execution in 2003, under the present regime of PGMA.
On a modified GRP sharing Project Cost of 2B PESOS, covering a net length of 75 km of concrete pavement that replaces the delapidiated roads along the Muslim-inhabited & scenic Pagadian-Cotabato coastal road, the DPWH after a successful Public Bidding awarded to four(4) different contractors namely Hanjin Heavy Eqt & Inds. (PackageA/Tukuran-SND Section), R.D.InteriorConst. (PackageB/SND-SultanGumander Section), P.L.Sebastian Const.(PackageC /Sultan Gumander-Malabang Section) & GraceConst.(PackageD /Aurora Section) under the overall supervision of the consulting consortium of Design Science Inc.(DSI),United Consult(Kuwait)& Renardet Intl.
THE IMPLEMENTATION
All four Packages started in late 2003, but as if to prove the odds
wrong, it weatherd up to this day a record storm of both the 2004 and
2007 National and Local elections, even as they are still going on as
of this writing on the strength of various extentions and necessary
addendums. Interestingly, different plus factors at the start proved
beneficial to the project implementors as in the case of PackageB
Contractor : RD Interior Const., a Luzon-based firm and a first-timer
in
Mindanao contracting at such, yet completed its task three(3) months
ahead of schedule. Supervised by no less than an experienced Consultant
in Resident Engineer Nasser D. Casser, the inspiring support of the
host local government proved contributory as well, especially in the
road right of way acquisitions. “Just tell us how far do you want the
houses to be moved away, so we will assist you in doing so,” were
always the assurances of the Municipal Mayor of the host town in SND,
Mayor Mutalib Dimaporo. True to his words, where it were always a
problem of the government agency in clearing highways for expansion, he
led the sacrifice of demolishing the affected concrete fence of his
beautiful municipal hall, for the seek of development and widening
expansion.
Thereafter, consistent positive slippage right at the project inception
until completion were then enjoyed by the Package empressing a
delegation from the Kuwaiti principals to visit the site sometime in
2005. On top of it all, the abundance of high-grade aggregate supplies
within the project site inadmittedly proved to be more than a
mega-lotto win for Mr. Boy Interior, owner of R.D.Interior Const.,
whose firm was awarded an EARLY COMPLETION fate by the DPWH as a result.
Similarly, the parallel implementation of the other Package A proved no
less, as shown by the Korean-flagship firm Hanjin Const. Beautifully
crafted, enhancing its rich surrounding of natural resources, the
impressive outcome now of the Korean Firm’s well-curved 23cm concrete
pavements cutting thru mountainous area along SND portions, leaving a
dry terraces-alike mark in between roadsides & the mirror-like
finish of their concrete paver did the swinging-like curves on filled
ricefields that overlooks the scenic Illana bay along the Tukuran
portion are ones for the book, second only to the Jumong epic. While
we heard of Korean Engineers being kidnapped in their past projects by
terrorist, they were never been scratched, nor harmed while doing their
Project here in Lanao” said one local engineer in SND Town who
requested anonymity. No wonder, SND town is not only known for its
Tulingan and Motorcross Festivals, its the only place in the
archipelago allegedly adhering to the strict ISLAMIC Shariah system of
crime deterrence in “Ketas”.
Further south is the on-going Package C works of vintage P.L.Sebastian
Const, a Davao-based contractor toughened by akin trade in Mindanao.
Comprising the Sultan Gumander(now named Picong) - Malabang Section, it
was the most difficult of the task, what with its huge excavation of
solid rocks. “Aside from the initial slump & threat of distability
in the area, huge excavation works made this project very difficult,
but thank God, we have normalized everything leading to our completion
of the main Contract last December“ quipped the energetic government
Project Engineer Christino Agtang.
IMPLICATIONS AND IMPACT.
Generally uplifting the economic condition of the people where
agricultural and marine products are abundant, the beautiful &
Intl-standard KFAED highway for one, made its way in opening up the
natured area for visitors to appreciate, as we see curious traveling
public, stopping for sightseeing/pictaking & taking a rest to eat
their snacks on the shaded cliffs along this new highway,
notwithstanding the view of the rehabilitated centuries-old solid rock
Tunnel as a come-on, too rare & expensive at this crises times to
see another one constructed. And yes, what with those untapped virgin
natural white beaches as if unstepped by human foot along Picong
shores and the rise of modest resorts along the Tukuran portion, which
may give the Dakkak resort promoters a run for their money.
While the portion in the historic Sultan Gumander (Picong) were almost
an impassable road prior to the start of the project, where gun-toting
young folks seen along the old road used to run away at the mere sight
of tinted 4x4 pickups mistaking it for military agents on board, it is
now a total turnaround. Thanks to the Kuwait FUND. With its newfound
accesability, a new Police Station is now in place, while construction
of new municipal hall of neophyte Mayor Amin D.Balindong is in the
offing. Similarly, a future District Hospital from where the present
office of the Consultant is hopefully in the bag for such conversion.
Consequently, what appears to be a demise to the inter-island boats
plying the Cotabato-Pagadian route across the Illana Bay is a good
take-off to the micro transport industry of countless vans and PUVs
transversing this route but this time by land, thru the newly completed
highway on a 24-hour basis. It also mean goodbye to the promising dream
of Prof. Nur Misauri to build a canal (ala Suez) connecting the Illana
Bay to the Panguil Bay. They were just a dream anyway.
As a result too, the fishport of Pagadian is on a shortage of fish
supplies nowadays even for their local consumption. While they were the
only ones feasting on their catches before, its now seeing its easy
transport by fishtrucks down the KFAED highway right straight to the
kitchen and restaurant tables to as far as Lanao provinces and the
Cotabato area, as well.
On its fruiting season, the Kidapawan fruits of North Cotabato may just
be a thing of the past now, if only the Matling fruits of Durian
varieties, Mangosteen, Lanzones, raw Macapuno nuts & even Buko
Pandan in bulk quantity, all doning organic fertilizer, so they claim,
& sold along the this Highway in Picong could only lower their feet
on the ground and their prices at level fair & source-low.
Not to be outshine by their beautiful highway, more decent houses now
& mostly concrete at such, now stand erected along the highway
sides thru payments of the owner’s road right of way claims while
others did so thru utilizing as cement admixtures remnants of the
Contractor’s mixers. However, using their front hiway for some, as
dryer for their aggrie products (he,he) needs to be corrected anyway.
In fine, no other government project in this side of the country has
done a better impact on the people & the area like the Kuwaiti
Funded road project. “What I want to emphasize here is that unlike
loans from other source, this one’s almost like a give-away donation
from a friendly Arab country to us Muslims of Mindanao” said the witty
DSI consultant Engr. Casser, who took over the helm at Package C
recently. “And we also proved that we can supervise similar projts at
par with anyone in the Phils, even utilizing local muslim engineers.”
he added.
While the Kuwait Fund culminated last December, various on-going
addendums of the Project is now funded by purely RP local Funds, what
is truly refreshing news is that another project is forthcoming and
that is the SAUDI FUND. A good reason for ARMM constituents to look
forward as it may soon cover the circumferential roads of Lanao del Sur
& Basialan provinces & the diversion road in Maguindanao. No
wonder, even a calcellation of the World Bank loan for RP Roads may not
likely affect the ARMM, as newly installed DPWH PMO-KFAED Project
Director Subair Diron, himself a former DPWH ARMM Secretary, is working
heaven and earth for the early completion of the engineering design and
early start of the incoming flagship SAUDI FUND Projects probably
before the end of this year. Txts by Engr. Mark P. Mauyag with email
address:
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