INFRA REHAB PROGRAM. Workers pour concrete to pave the Waterfront Road inside Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales on Wednesday (Oct. 9, 2019). This is under the infrastructure rehabilitation program of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. (PNA photo by Ruben Veloria)
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT -- The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is fast-tracking infrastructure rehabilitation projects here, an official said on Thursday.
SBMA chairman and administrator Wilma T. Eisma said they are simultaneously undertaking four road repair projects, two slope rehabilitation projects, and a drainage system improvement project to fix aging facilities built when the area was still an American naval base.
The funds for these projects came from the PHP1.6-billion budget that was earmarked mainly for the repair of major thoroughfares, key drainage systems, and critical eroded slopes.
“We have a lot to catch up on because there weren’t much rehabilitation projects done since Subic became a freeport in 1992,” Eisma said in an interview.
According to a project status report from the SBMA Engineering Department, there are 13 construction projects worth a total of PHP733.4 million that are in various stages of implementation.
These include the repair of the El Kabayo Road and a slope rehabilitation project in the same area that were completed early this year.
The biggest chunk of the budget went to the 2018 road rehabilitation package which costs PHP274.54 million and covers the areas of Malawaan Park parking area, road ramp on Dewey Avenue, Waterfront Road, the road to the New Container Terminal, Rizal Highway, Maritan Highway, as well as several roads in residential areas.
Eisma said the 2018 road rehabilitation package, which has a completion date of December 21, 2019, is expected to ease the traffic on some of the busiest roads in the Freeport.
Another major undertaking is the implementation of the PHP225.48-million 2019 Road Rehabilitation Project, which is now in the mobilization and as-stake survey stage.
Eisma said this project will consist of repairs on main roads like Argonaut Highway, San Bernardino Road, roads to Leyte Wharf and Sattler Pier duct banks, Rizal Highway, Boton Highway, Binictican Drive, and the approaches to Kalaklan Bridge and 14th Street Bridge.
Meanwhile, the Naval Supply Depot (NSD) Road Rehabilitation Network Phase 2, which has a budget of PHP85.26 million, is expected to be finished by December 27 this year. The project consists of repairs of roads leading to the NSD Compound where most of grain and bulk shipments are handled.
“This is an area that has been battered by heavy trucks that carry tons of shipment from ships,” she said, referring to the NSD Compound.
“We are now rebuilding the U.S. Navy-era roads to take in more cargo traffic because of the growing transshipment operations here in Subic,” she added.
The other on-going projects included some building renovation, construction of a fitness center and sentry kiosks, and rehabilitation of rubble mound for barrette light at the Subic airport.
Eisma said the other upcoming projects, worth PHP908.7 million, include the PHP442.7-million Magsaysay Bridge project, which will replace the span leading to the Subic Bay Freeport’s main gate.
The contract for the project is about to be issued, she added.
Other projects still under the agency’s Bids and Awards Committee are the PHP320-million NSD Road Rehabilitation Network Phase 3 project, a PHP3.6-million drainage and flood control project near the SBMA Dispensary, slope rehabilitation at Aparri Road worth PHP81.4 million, the PHP7-million construction of perimeter fence from Kalaklan to Kalayaan, and the PHP54-million Perimeter Road rehabilitation project.
Eisma said they engaged consultancy services for detailed engineering designs for various seaport projects and a drainage master plan, costing PHP23.2 million. (PNA)
