Rural folks anticipate rehab of P17-M road in Motiong, Samar

By Ninfa Iluminda B. Quirante

Friday 25th of May 2012

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, May 25 (PIA)-- More than a thousand rural folks from Motiong are awaiting for the two-kilometer (km) rehabilitation of a road project funded by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC).

To the rural folks of Barangays New Minarog, Maypange, Candumakul, and other barangays, the one-lane road stretch is better than their old gravel road which runs off during heavy rains.

The P17 million road will spell a big difference to these rural folks whose main transportation is the habal-habal. A habal-habal is a motorcycle modified to seat more than two persons, even more.

Belen Abawag, 54, a farmer from Barangay Maypange feels exasperated as she and a friend have to climb the habal-habal, alight when the road is difficult to navigate, ride anew, and then even help the driver push it when needed.

“Pastilan, kakuri man,” (It is really difficult.) she sighed.

“Maupay na ini nga sementado na, bisan kun luyo la, madudugtungan man gihap, diri na ig-aanas hit uuran,” (This is good as it is concrete even though there's only one lane. Maybe it won’t be eroded when the rains come.), said Abawag.

Engr Dindo Conge, Motiong Municipal Engineer, said that the construction job is swift.

“It is almost 70 percent completed,” Conge said.

PIA joined the inspection team on Tuesday and learned that the road rehab project has been awarded to Richmark Construction.

“When finished, the project will facilitate movement of goods and the people,” Mayor Francis Langi said.

Motiong’s rural side is characterized by gently rolling hills and mountains making movement of people really difficult without the roads, according to one Motiong rural folk, Edgar Gabijan.

“Importante kaupay ha amon it kalsada (Roads are important to us)," he said. (NBQ-PIA 8, Samar)