The road network expansion program of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is paving the way for a new direct link between Dipolog and Pagadian Cities by-passing Ipil in Zamboanga Peninsula.
In his report to Secretary Roger G. Mercado, Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations Emil K. Sadain said the upgrading of Tampilisan-Sandayong Road, a combined barangay/municipal roads to standard specifications of a secondary national road in Zamboanga del Norte, is expected to enhance agricultural, trade and commercial activities and accompanying sustainable value generation to the area.
Now at the tail end of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s presidency, the improvement of Tampilisan-Sandayong Road is one the legacy project of this administration’s Build Build Build initiative that will alleviate poverty by supporting the movement of people, goods, and services to and from the communities, Undersecretary Sadain pointed out.
This flagship infrastructure project is one (1) of the roads under Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project (IGCMRSP) financed by Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan implemented by DPWH UPMO Roads Management Cluster 2 (Multilateral) headed by Project Director Sharif Madsmo H. Hasim.
Undersecretary Sadain, Chief Implementer of Build Build Build Program, conducted a site inspection on February 18, 2022 to assess the actual progress of the work on the entire 17.58 kilometers project stretch from junction of the Dipolog-Ipil National Highway and the Sto. Nino barangay road (K1981+490) to its end in Barangay Sandayong’s road crossing (K1999+065.86) with road towards Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay.
During the inspection, the contractor and consulting firm involved with the project also referred as package PR-07 were ordered to expedite pending works and rectify defects that crept during construction.
Other than the road improvement by upgrading and concreting with paved shoulder, the project covers the replacement/construction of three (3) bridges including slope protection works, and provision of reinforced concrete box culvert and pipe culvert.