P70-M Iloilo River Esplanade to be completed August

By Vicente W. Villavert

Monday 4th of June 2012

ILOILO CITY, June 4 (PIA) -- The Iloilo River Esplanade which President Benigno S. Aquino III inspected last June 1 is now 85 to 86 percent complete, according to Director Evelyn Barroso of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Region 6.

“As you can see, it is almost complete, and more or less we can finish this project towards the end of July or August this year,” Barroso said in a PIA interview.

The construction of the esplanade started in December last year but it was slowed down by the clearing activities, said Barroso, as she emphasized that the 1.2 kilometer-esplanade is a road network linking Iloilo bridge and Carpenter bridge along Molo-Mandurriao road.

“This includes about four meters of wide road with paving blocks, and slope protection, and this are some of the stabilization measures in order to protect the rivers’ slope from erosion due to strong water currents," Barroso said.

The DPWH 6 director also said that, “the entire project costs around P70 million but the contract cost is about P58 million distributed to the road component at almost P40 million and almost P20 million for the slope protection."

The remaining amount will still be used for the maintenance of the Iloilo River esplanade.

The project when completed will help boost the tourism industry in Iloilo City.

The Iloilo River Esplanade, when visited by President Aquino already had street lights, railings, which will add protection, and trellis, made to support climbing plants.

Senator Franklin Drilon who is working on the rehabilitation and restoration of the Iloilo River, briefed President Aquino during his visit. Aquino congratulated the leadership in Iloilo in uplifting the lives of the Ilonggos and for the Ilonggos’ consciousness towards environmental protection.

It will be recalled that from May 31 to June 1, 2012 scientists, and experts in the field of river management, aquatic biodiversity, and global climate change from U.S.A., Canada, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Philippines, and other Asian countries were in Iloilo City to share sustainable river basin management practices that can be replicated to other cities. (JCM/VWV-PIA 6, Iloilo)