Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH (18"") CONGRESS
1 Regular Session

3018
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Hon. WILTER “SHARKY” WEE PALMA II

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The bill seeks to convert the Provincial Road from the Junction Lutiman to
Olutanga Road of Municipality of Olutanga, Province of Zamboanga Sibugay, into
a Secondary National Road.

Zamboanga Sibugay is a young province in the Zamboanga Peninsula having
been created in 2001. With its incumbency as a local government unit, comes
with challenges in various forms and severity. The Sibugaynons are heavily
dependent on farming and fishing as its main sources of livelihood in the locality.
Despite the potential in its natural resources, productivity remains low leaving
much to be desired principally owning to the deplorable lack of reliable national
road complex to facilitate the safe and easy transport of people and produce to
ports and markets in and out of the area. The conversion will provide much
needed accessibility to the three (3) remote municipalities of Olutanga, Mabuhay,
and Talusan, which are rich in agricultural and marine resources that need to be
marketed in the main land Sibugay and in other parts of Mindanao. These
municipalities have long been deprived of easy access due to its geographical
disadvantage. The conversion of the Junction Lutiman to Olutanga Road into a
Secondary National Road will stimulate, much less, promote local economic
growth and development of the barangays which the said road traverses. The
economic integration of these areas will narrow rural-urban disparities, expand
opportunities and encourage the retention of skilled people in the locality.


As it stands, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has pledged the necessary
financial and technical support in accordance to the “Improving Growth Corridors
in Mindanao Road Sector Project.” In its present form, the ADB funded project is
already bidded out and a Notice of Award was issued to the winning contractor. In
March 2019, a Notice to Proceed was issued by the Department of Public Works
and Highways (DPWH) Central Office to the contractor.

The ADB stated that this project aims to support the Philippine
Government's initiatives for the improvement of the country’s road network and
further aid the development in Mindanao. The utilization of a Sector Loan will
enable the government to achieve inclusive economic development by
centralizing road improvement initiatives in Mindanao. In addition, the ADB states
that the improvement of the 38.7-km road will involve the replacement of the
gravel road with Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP) meeting a required
carriageway width of 6.70 meters with shoulder width of 1.5 meters on both
sides. Specifically, the major items of work would include the following:

a. The Construction of a 29.76 km by 6.70 m wide PCC Pavement with 1.5m.
paved shoulders on both sides.

b. The Construction of a PCDG Bridge with a total length of 60.98 meters in
Barangay Concepcion, Alicia.

c. Construction and improvement of drainage and slope protection
structures; and

d. Construction of miscellaneous structures.

The road improvement will follow the existing alignment and widening requires a
30 meter right of way traversing the municipalities of Alicia, Mabuhay, Talusan
and Olutanga, Zamboanga Sibugay Province.

Upon the implementation of the aforementioned program together with
the passing of this bill, the socio-economic development benefits that will be
initiated by the road conversion will provide much needed boost in reducing the


limitations on access to basic social services, such as health and education.
Beyond meeting the basic needs, the vulnerabilities of the people to the
economic and financial crisis, disaster risk and climate change must be addressed.
On this pursuit, | believe that such conversion will be a big relief to our province in
our struggle to pull the people out of the poverty line.

In view of the foregoing, early approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

res
. WILTER “SHARKY” WEE PALMA II
1® District, Zamboanga Slbugay



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Philippines

EIGHTEENTH (18) CONGRESS
First Regular Session

~3018
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced By HON. WILTER “SHARKY” WEE PALMA II

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE PROVINCIAL ROAD FROM

JUNCTION LUTIMAN TO OLUTANGA ROAD OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF
OLUTANGA, PROVINCE OF ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY INTO A SECONDARY
NATIONAL ROAD AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

1 SECTION 1. The Provincial Road starting from Junction Lutiman to Olutanga
2 Road in the Municipality of Olutanga, Province of Zamboanga Sibugay is hereby
3 converted into a secondary national road under the supervision of the
4 Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) together with the support of
5 the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

6 SEC. 2. The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be
7 charged to the appropriations for the Department of Public Works and Highways
8 under the current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sum as maybe
9 necessary for the repair and maintenance of this road shall be included in the
10 annual General Appropriations Act.

eee SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

2 Approved,