Balagtas interchange opening hailed, Sta. Rita toll plaza decongested

PLARIDEL, Bulacan—Every morning, spouses Bernardo and Tess Vicente rushes to get to their work places in Quezon City from their house at Rocka Village at Barangay Tabang here.

This is to avoid usual traffic jam that clog the Cagayan Valley Road (CVR) from the Plaridel public market to the Sta. Rita toll Plaza along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

At night, the same traffic greets them as they go home.

But not on the night of March 20, or at least six hours after the inauguration of the Balagtas Interchange and the subsequent opening of the 6.87 kilometer Plaridel By-pass road which is part of the still to be completed 24.61 kilometer arterial road project that will link the NLEX to Barangay Maasim in San Rafael town, just west of the boundary of San Rafael and San Ildefonso towns.

“Maluwag na, mabilis pa ang biyahe,” said Bernardo in a text message sent to Business Week.

As an engineer of the Maynilad Water Services Inc., (MWSI), Bernardo said he and his wife Tess, an instructor at the University of the Philippines, hopes that decongestoon of the CVR will continue.

Their hope is the same with the purpose for the construction of the arterial toad project.

Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said it was meant to reduce travel time to and from eastern Bulacan and Central Luzon NLEX.

He said more travel time will be reduced once the 24.61 kilometers arterial road project that will link the NLEX with the Philippine Japan Friendship Highway or the old Maharlika Highway is completed.

Singson said it will also boost economic activity in eastern Bulacan and Central Luzon.

Based on date released by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the 6.87 kilometer Plaridel by-pass road is under the contract package 1 of the Phase 1 of the project funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA).

The Plaridel by-pass road which straddles Barangay Borol 1^st in Balagtas town to Barangay Bulihan in Plaridel town was completed last November 25 amounted to P1.570-Billion.  It has one 60-meter bridge and 2.40-kilometer access road.

The 7.75-kilometer contract package II of the project which is also under the Phase I will extend the contract package I to Bustos town.  Jica is readying P543.326-Million of the said project.

Singson said that it is projected to be completed by next year, but contractors said it will be completed by June this year.

He said that he is looking forward for the early implementation of the contract package III and IV under phase II covering a total of 9.86 kilometers from Bustos to Barangay Maasim in San Rafael town.

The said segment of the project will also be bankrolled  by a loan from JICA.

For his part, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ramoncito Fernandez said the Plaridel Bypass road and the Balagtas Interchange is a good manifestation of public-private partnership (PPP).

“In this PPP, the government provided the road infrastructure while the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) will operate and maintain it as the country’s newest tollway,” he said.

The MNTC installed the fixed and non-fixed equipment necessary for an efficient tollway system.

Rodrigo Franco, president and CEO of the MNTC said they allocated a total of P109-M for the said equipment, plus P22-M for operation and maintenance of the Balagtas interchange and portion of the by-pass road.

With regards to toll fee, Edmundo Reyes, the executive director of the Toll Regulatory Board said they approved its collection at the Balagtas interchange.

Reyes said that toll fees to be collected will be based on existing per kilometer collection of the Traffic Management Corporation, the operator of the NLEX. 

De Lima fetes outstanding Bulakenyas

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan, March 21 (PIA) – Justice Secretary Leila De Lima conferred yesterday the Gawad Medalyang Ginto 2012 to the most exemplary Bulakenyas at the Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center here, stressing the “immortal” achievements of heroines from the province.

Gracing as the guest speaker for the event in line with the observation of the

International Women’s Month, De Lima said she was reminded of history lessons which tell the accomplishments of Bulakenya heroines like Trinidad Tecson, the Mother of Biak-na-Bato, and the 21 Women of Malolos who braved putting up a

school to teach Spanish language.

“In Bulacan, through this award, we don’t need to remind the men for them to acknowledge the contributions of women. I want to impart to you my warmest salutation for the example you have been showing not only in words but more especially in actions,” said De Lima in Filipino.

She and Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado led the conferral of the Natatanging Babae award with P10,000 to Emelita San Pedro from Angat town for the Women Empowerment category, and to Marilyn Baldivas of Meycauayan City for the Resource Generation category.

The Natatanging Samahang Pangkakabaihan award with P20,000 was given to Soroptimist International of San Jose Del Monte City District III Club No. 170203 headed by Fidelina Mier.

Among the winners for the Gawad Medalyang Ginto sectoral categories were Rowena Francisco of San Rafael as Matagumpay na Ginang ng OFW; Florentina Salonga from Plaridel as Matagumpay na Babaeng Makakalikasan; Segunda Bartolome from San Jose Del Monte City as Matagumpay na Babaeng

Mangangalakal; and the Municipality of Obando headed by Francisca Mendoza as Matagumpay na Konsehong Pambayan para sa Kababaihan 2012.

“We are highlighting the contributions of women in our development in this time preceded by history like the Women of Malolos. Many say that behind every triumph of a man, the picture and spirit of a woman could be found,” said Alvarado in Filipino.

Eva Fajardo, chairman of the Panlalawigang Komisyon para sa Kababaihan ng Bulacan, said prior to the event, there were already 66 women and 14 organizations that had been awarded by this commission. (JMG/PIA 3)

Water park of extreme sports, to open in Bulacan

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan, March 22 (PIA) – Capitalizing on the province’s vast

river resource, the Bulacan government is now gearing to launch next month a

water park in Angat town that will be home to a variety of extreme sports.

The three-hectare environmental water sports complex located in Brgy. Sta

Cruz, Angat will be known as “Ganda Ko’y Silayan: Angat Water Park” which will

include amenities such as water skiing, jet skiing, boating, kayaking, zipline,

wakeboarding, floating restaurants, and fishing and picnic areas.

“We are hoping that the entire facility will be finished next year. Right now, we

already had roads constructed going to the area, nipa huts built, and water sports

equipment like water bikes, kayaks and jetski ready,” said Angat Mayor Gilberto

Santos.

According to Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado, the water park will be launched next

month as the environment and natural resources office and the tourism department

develop the Angat River into an environment water sports facility designed

to “provide a range of water sports and activities, and will serve as a wildlife

haven.”

Alvarado said Bulacan is blessed to have a river which flows from the Sierra Madre

mountain range, traverses 11 towns in the province, and drains to the Manila Bay.

“With this project, we are boosting the eco-tourism of Bulacan and providing a new

and complete adventure package for enthusiasts who want to enjoy sports and the

nature at the same time,” said Alvarado.

“If Camarines Sur has their man-made water sports attraction, come to Bulacan to

experience what real nature offers,” he added.

The other division of the water park will be established in Bustos Dam in Bustos

town that will also utilize fresh river water from the Sierra Madre.

Bustos Mayor Arnel Mendoza said the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone

Authority (TIEZA), which supervises and funds tourism projects nationwide, had

expressed support for the water park through its head Mark Lapid.

“TIEZA is willing to invest funds to realize this project. They already prepared the

blueprint and layout for this project. If all turns well, with the help of other LGUs,

the facility in Bustos Dam will be ready within two years,” said Mendoza. (JMG/PIA

3)