Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO.__5'764

Introduced by Rep. Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo, Rep. Abdullah D. Dimaporo,
Rep. Ma. Lourdes Acosta-Alba, Rep. Vicente F. Belmonte
And Jr. Rep. Ansaruddin A.M.A, Adiong

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to provide for the construction of two national highways and a
crossroad that will connect the Provinces of Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and Bukidnon,
including the cities of Iligan and Marawi. The said highway shall start from the Lanao del
Norte Interior Circumferential Road in the Municipality of Tagoloan, Lanao del Norte to the
Municipality of Talakag, Province of Bukidnon, with a crossroad at Barangay Panalawan,
‘Tagoloan, Lanao del Norte and connecting roads to the national highway in Iligan City,
through Barangay Pugaan, lligan City and to the national highway in Marawi City through
the Municipality of Kapai, Lanao del Sur. The aforesaid crossroad and national highways
shall be known as the Muslim-Christian Unity Crossroad and Highways to highlight their
literal significance in improving the good relations ~ trade, personal, cultural - between the
Muslims and the Christians in the Lanao Provinces and Bukidnon and the cities of Iligan and
Marawi, in particular, and the whole of Mindanao in general.

The proposed crossroad and national highways will certainly benefit not only the
Lanao Provinces and Bukidnon but the entire Mindano region in general as it will facilitate
the efficient and safer flow of people and goods within the entire island. More specifically,
the nearby provinces of Misamis Occidental and Oriental, Maguindanao and Cotabato
Provinces as well as the Zamboanga Provinces will directly benefit from the road
construction as it will significantly shorten travel time to and from the aforesaid provinces.

Once completed, the proposed national highways will open up vast tracts of idle lands
to cultivation and development to the benefit of the host communities. It will certainly
catalyze the development of agriculture in the concerned areas, enhance food security,
generate employment opportunities and create new sources of income.

While a national highway between Iligan City and the Municipality of Talakag,
Bukidnon is now under construction, the said highway is primarily for the benefit of Tligan
City. Besides, it traverses steep mountain routes on the eastern side of Tligan City that are
dangerous for heavy trucks to negotiate. Once completed, the proposed Muslim-Christian
Unity Crossroad and Highways will complement the said highway.



Most importantly, the proposed Muslim-Christian Unity Highway will promote peace
and order in Mindanao as it will facilitate the efficient deployment of government security
forces and significantly reduce their response time in times of emergencies. The Army
brigades in Marawi City and Bukidnon; the Army battalions in Iligan City and Baloi, Lanao
del Norte, and the Army Division in Cagayan de Oro City can easily and promptly deploy
personnel to any part that may need reinforcements. With the proposed highways in place,
insurgent and criminal elements will think twice in committing atrocities against any target in
the vicinity of the highways, Iligan City most especially, as they can easily be intercepted by
government forces at the Lanao del Norte-Bukidnon Road of the proposed Muslim-Christian
Unity Crossroad and Highways.

Marawi City and Lanao del Sur, in particular, will also benefit especially so that at
present, there is only one point of entry and exit thereto which is the Iligan-Marawi National
Highway. Past incidents of landslides and disruptions in the peace and order situation over
the said highway proved costly for Marawi City and Lanao del Sur whose local economies
are greatly dependent on land transportation having no airports and seaports linking it to other
regions. With another route in place, Marawi City and Lanao del Sur will flourish as the
proposed highway will certainly enhance its security and economic development. Such
development will have ripple effects on the nearby cities and provinces,

The proposed measure is crucial to the economic development of the whole of
Mindanao in the sense that roads play a major role in the economic progress of communities
and countries. This is especially true for the Philippines as the Nation’s economy relies
heavily on land transportation particularly in the movement of people and goods. Good and
extensive road networks stimulate business activities and generate economic opportunities.

In view of the foregoing premises, the prompt approval of this measure is earnestly
sought and recommended.

IBRANZA-DIMAPORO ABDULLAH D. DIMAPORO
1 District Lanao del Norte 2nd District, Lanao del Norte

-he Vth
MATL IES ACO VICENTE F. BRLMONTE, JR

1 District, Bukifnoys Lone District, ligan City

A.M.A. ADIONG
1" District, Lanao del Sur


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

5764

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Rep. Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo, Rep. Abdullah D. Dimaporo,
Rep. Ma. Lourdes Acosta-Alba, Rep. Vicente F. Belmonte
And Jr. Rep. Ansaruddin A.M.A, Adiong

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NATIONAL HIGHWAY FROM
THE LANAO DEL NORTE INTERIOR CIRCUMFERENTIAL ROAD IN THE
MUNICIPALITY OF TAGOLOAN, LANAO DEL NORTE TO THE MUNICIPALITY
OF TALAKAG, PROVINCE OF BUKIDNON, WITH A CROSSROAD AT
BARANGAY PANALAWAN, MUNICIPALITY OF TAGOLOAN, LANAO DEL
NORTE AND CONNECTING ROADS TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY IN ILIGAN
CITY THROUGH BARANGAY PUGAAN, ILIGAN CITY AND TO THE NATIONAL,
HIGHWAY IN MARAWI CITY THROUGH THE MUNICIPALITY OF KAPAI,
LANAO DEL SUR, TO BE KNOWN AS THE MUSLIM-CHRISTIAN UNITY
CROSSROAD AND HIGHWAYS AND APPRORPIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

TION 1. There shall be constructed, under the supervision of the Department of
Public Works and Highways, a national highway from the Lanao del Norte Ini
Circumferential Road in the Municipality of Tagoloan, Lanao del Norte to the Municipality
of Talakag, Bukidnon, with a Crossroad at Barangay Panalawan, Tagoloan, Lanao del Norte
and connecting roads to the national highway in Iligan City through Barangay Pugaan, Iligan
City and to the national highway in Marawi City, through the Municipality of Kapai, Lanao
del Sur, The aforesaid crossroad and national highways shall be known as the Muslim-
Christian Unity Crossroad and Highways,

SECTION 2. The amount of one billion pesos (P1,000,000,000) shall be appropriated
for this purpose in the General Appropriations Act of the year following the approval of this,
Act. Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for the completion and maintenance of the
national highway shall be included in the appropriation of the Department of Public Works
and Highways in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation,

Approved,